Your author was asked to comment on the interim United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida for the Miami Daily Businesss Review. This story was also cited on the popular Southern District of Florida Blog.
MIAMI DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW - AUGUST 1, 2005
From the Courts: Justice Watch
Little-known U.S. attorney makes the rounds
By: Julie Kay
Who is Alex Acosta?
That’s the question South Florida attorneys are asking about the new acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
“No one knows anything about him,” said Brian Tannebaum, president of the Miami chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys. “I haven’t met him yet.”
Kathleen Williams, the top federal public defender in South Florida, said, “I have never met the U.S. attorney. He has not practiced in the area, so none of us knows him.”
Even heavyweight Republican lawyers in town aren’t familiar with Acosta.
“I met him once, but I don’t really know him,” said Thomas Spencer, a top GOP lawyer in Miami and chairman of the Miami-Dade County Judicial Nominating Commission.
But what South Florida attorneys do know is causing them some concern — namely that Acosta has never tried a case and has little experience in criminal law.
“The word on the street is that he has no criminal law experience,” Tannebaum said. “I would like a U.S. attorney who has experience in criminal justice … who has some working knowledge of criminal justice.”
Acosta, who came to Miami after heading the Justice Department’s civil rights division, notes there are 235 prosecutors in his office.
He said his job requires management more than courtroom skills, the ability to interact well with law enforcement and community groups, and high-level contacts to help the region.
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2 hours ago
Thanks for your continued comments and for following the blog. As you can imagine, the interview was more indepth than the printed version. I was asked what I knew about Acosta, and I said I heard he had no criminal experience, had a good reputation in washington and was rumored to be a nice guy. I was then asked if I preferred someone with criminal experience, and as you can see from the article, I answered the question.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of the article was his lack of experience, so those were the comments the reporter went with.
I look forward to meeting him, and as president of FACDL-Miami, it has been my intention for a while to welcome him at an official gathering. I intend to give him every chance to be successful.