Federal prosecutors are appointed politically and are political figures. This can sometimes be a good thing because they can be more accountable than a faceless

Federal prosecutors are appointed politically and are political figures. This can sometimes be a good thing because they can be more accountable than a faceless bureaucrat—maybe this prosecutor won’t win her next election because of this—and because they might be more likely to reflect society’s values. For example a prosecutor can decide to be more lenient in some nonviolent drug cases: the police has to investigate and the judge has to convict, but a prosecutor has the discretion to just drop the case. Of course in Aaron’s case we see the dark side of the political nature of US attorneys. Fans of The West Wing may remember this quote from Robert Jackson: “The prosecutor has more control over life, liberty, and reputation than any other person in America. His discretion is tremendous. He can have citizens investigated and, if he is that kind of person, he can have this done to the tune of public statements and veiled or unveiled intimations. Or the prosecutor may choose a more subtle course and simply have a citizen’s friends interviewed. … While the prosecutor at his best is one of the most beneficent forces in our society, when he acts from malice or other base motives, he is one of the worst. “Your positions are of such independence and importance that while you are being diligent, strict, and vigorous in law enforcement you can also afford to be just. Although the government technically loses its case, it has really won if justice has been done.” http://www.roberthjackson.org/the-man/speeches-articles/speeches/speeches-by-robert-h-jackson/the-federal-prosecutor/ http://www.roberthjackson.org/the-man/speeches-articles/spee...