More than a hundred former Chicago federal prosecutors released a letter Monday saying actions taken by U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros and other leaders have “tarnished the reputation of the United States Attorney’s Office.”
The group, which includes former U.S. Attorney Scott Lassar and onetime acting U.S. Attorney Gary Shapiro, also said it is concerned that “once-forbidden political considerations are infecting prosecutorial decisions,” and called on Boutros — who was nominated for the top post by President Donald Trump last year — to “stand above and apart from political fealty.”
The letter cites an ongoing exodus of leadership from the office, as well as grand jury “irregularities” and “breaches of trust” with judges that have arisen out of Operation Midway Blitz as evidence of “a failure of leadership in the office we deeply respect.”
The letter does not call for Boutros to resign.
“For decades, our former office earned a reputation for winning significant cases while playing by the rules. We hope that the next few months will provide an opportunity to begin an effort to restore this reputation,” stated the letter, signed by a total of 111 former members of the office. “That, however, will require candor from (Boutros); the courage to stand above and apart from political fealty; and a willingness to address the failures that have occurred. It will require action, not mere words.”
The sharp criticism comes days after Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, the former private attorney for President Donald Trump who’s been nominated by the president for the permanent attorney general position, came to Boutros’ defense in a lengthy social media post that praised him for “steadfastly” advancing the White House’s mission to make the city “safe for the American people.”
“This department fully supports U.S. Attorney Boutros and his efforts to combat violent crime, drug trafficking, immigration violations, and fraud, and we look forward to more great work from his office,” Blanche said Thursday in a statement posted on X.
Blanche said Boutros has increased indictments by 34% over the prior administration in 2025, and by 61% so far this year, although he did not give details. He specifically mentioned cases against the Sinaloa cartel and weapons charges against a man accused of killing 18-year-old Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman.
Boutros responded by quote-posting Blanche’s statement, saying he was “deeply appreciative that Acting Attorney General Blanche would personally come out with his vigorous statement of support of me on the same day” Blanche was nominated by Trump to be the permanent Attorney General.
Boutros also thanked those who “stood by me when others capitalized on the opportunity to attempt to destabilize” the U.S. attorney’s office and “wreak discord among our once-united AUSA and law enforcement community under the guise that they love or even really care about this incredible and storied office.”
Meanwhile, a growing list of Democratic politicians have called for Boutros to step down, including U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, who said last week his office has been “riddled with chaos, deep internal dysfunction, and alleged misconduct.”
Others who have called for Boutros to step down include former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Dan Biss, the mayor of Evanston and current congressional candidate, Lieutenant Gov. Juliana Stratton, who is running for U.S. Senate, and U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky, Mike Quigley, and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia.
Boutros has been at the center of a rapidly intensifying scandal that is virtually unprecedented for Chicago’s vaunted U.S. attorney’s office, long regarded as one of the country’s most professional prosecutorial offices.
It started when the politically charged Broadview Six case against Operation Midway Blitz protesters collapsed two weeks ago in dramatic fashion, with U.S. District Judge April Perry describing “shocking” misconduct before the grand jury and Boutros himself appearing before Perry to apologize and dismiss the charges on the eve of trial.
Since that case unraveled, Boutros came under national scrutiny when it was revealed his office is leading a criminal investigation into a Chicago-based nonprofit that partially funded legal fees for E. Jean Carroll, the magazine columnist who successfully sued Trump for sexual assault and defamation.
As the scandal has widened, morale within the already-beleaguered U.S. attorney’s office has gone into free fall. Several prosecutors who played a role in the Broadview Six case have hired attorneys amid potential claims of vindictive prosecution and cover-up.
Attorneys representing the former Broadview Six defendants filed a motion this week asking a judge to award payment of the attorney fees they incurred to fight the case.
The full transcripts of the grand jury sessions in the case are expected to be made public this week, giving a rare insider’s look into a normally secretive process and detailing the exact misbehavior previously outlined by the judge.
In their letter Monday, the former prosecutors called Boutros out for “improperly” proclaiming in court on the day the Broadview charges were dismissed that he still believed in the bringing of the case.
They also said it was “troubling” that Boutros sent an office-wide email later that day — first reported by the Tribune — praising the prosecutors involved in the Broadview case.
“By portraying the episode as a courageous effort by individual prosecutors, himself, and top supervisors, and by reaffirming his personal belief that a crime was committed, it sent an entirely wrong message to impressionable and inexperienced AUSAs,” the letter stated.
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
