Massachusetts US Attorney Rachael Rollins violated law, regulations and ethics: watchdogs

WASHINGTON – Rachael Rollins, the U.S. attorney in Massachusetts, attended a Democratic Party fundraiser in apparent violation of federal law and provided non-public information to try to influence a primary election to choose her successor as a local prosecutor, according to a watchdog report released Wednesday.

Rollins announced Tuesday she decied to resign and will submit her letter to President Joe Biden by Friday, according to her lawyer, Michael Bromwich. She felt the department's work is too important to be overshadowed by anything else, Bromwich said.

Rollins attended the fundraiser featuring First Lady Jill Biden in Andover, Massachusetts, on July 14, 2022, after being driven in a government vehicle by a subordinate employee in her office, according to the report from Michael Horowitz, the Justice Department inspector general. The federal Hatch Act typically limits political activities of federal employees.

While investigating that incident, Horowitz discovered that Rollins secretly disclosed sensitive information to the Boston Herald about a potential department investigation of interim Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden. Rollins may have released the information before the Sept. 6, 2022, Democratic primary to help candidate Ricardo Arroyo beat Hayden, according to Horowitz. Rollins had been district attorney until becoming U.S. attorney in January 2022.

Rollins allegedly testified falsely under oath during the inspector general’s investigation about the newspaper leak, according to the report. She admitted providing the information during later testimony, after being confronted with texts showing she had been a source for the reporter, according to the report.

“We found Rollins’s conduct described throughout this report violated federal regulations, numerous DOJ policies, her Ethics Agreement, and applicable law, and fell far short of the standards of professionalism and judgment that the Department should expect of any employee, much less a U.S. Attorney,” Horowitz concluded in the report.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel also issued a report Wednesday detailing that Rollins violated the Hatch Act on multiple occasions and exhibited an extraordinary abuse of power. The office said the violations warranted disciplinary action. The office said her attempts to sabotage a political campaign were "one of the most egregious Hatch Act violations" the office had ever investigated.

“The leak was an extraordinary breach of public trust by a senior government official, which threatens to erode confidence in the integrity of federal law enforcement actions," the repot said. "Ms. Rollins’s multiple knowing, willful, and serious violations unquestionably warrant disciplinary action.”

Bromwich said the inspector general's report should be put in context because most of the offenses were minor. She could have raised many facts and arguments, but didn't want to litigate the issues further.

“The central truth is that she moved from being an elected official with virtually no restrictions on her activities to the highly-regulated environment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office," Bromwich said. "Most of the allegations amount to minor process fouls."

Horowitz provided a copy of the report to the deputy attorney general, the executive office for U.S. attorneys and the Professional Misconduct Review Unit for potential action.

Other allegations against Rollins in the report include:

• Soliciting 30 free Boston Celtics basketball tickets, including two for herself, contrary to ethics advice.

• Accepting non-federal travel expenses twice without advance authorization and without advising her office.

• Calling a local radio show to discuss a case from which she was recused.

• Participating in a press conference to discuss a draft opinion of the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

• Using her personal cellphone to send texts to her staff about Justice Department business.

• Accepting donations to her Suffolk County district attorney campaign fund after she was sworn in as U.S. attorney.

Bromwich said Rollins would make herself available for questions after the dust settles.

"Rachael has been profoundly honored to serve as U.S. Attorney over the past 16 months and is incredibly proud of all her office has accomplished during that limited time, especially in the areas of gun violence and civil rights," Bromwich said. "She is optimistic that the important work she started will continue but understands that her presence has become a distraction."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US Attorney Rachael Rollins under ethics investigation: watchdogs