politics
New York Grievance Committee Closes Misconduct Review of Interim U.S. Attorney John Sarcone Without Public Discipline
A state ethics panel notified complainants last week that it determined John Sarcone engaged in professional misconduct, closing the case without public discipline. Sarcone, who has led the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York on an unconfirmed basis, previously removed an Albany newspaper from the office press list after negative coverage.
May 11, 6:37 PM·2m read1 source
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A New York state grievance committee has found that John Sarcone committed professional misconduct. The Attorney Grievance Committee for the Appellate Division, Third Department, notified nonprofit groups of its finding against Sarcone last week. The letter from the committee was dated April 1 and was sent via email on May 8.
The committee said the case was now closed after it reached its conclusion at a “recent” meeting. It added that it had taken “appropriate action,” though the precise steps remain undisclosed. There are no records of public discipline in Sarcone’s entry on the state attorney directory.
The committee can take actions short of public discipline, including private letters of reprimand. Campaign for Accountability received a near-identical letter from the grievance committee. The Intercept reported the findings, which fit in a larger pattern of New York shrouding prosecutorial misconduct investigations in secret.
U.S. attorney in Albany. U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York last year.
U.S. Senate. After his temporary appointment to the post expired, judges appointed a veteran prosecutor to fill the post. That replacement was fired within hours.
Sarcone has continued to oversee the office as state Attorney General Letitia James and Justice Department lawyers argue in court over whether he lawfully holds the office. The Freedom of the Press Foundation, Reinvent Albany, and the Demand Progress Education Fund filed a complaint against Sarcone on August 11.
