John H. Durham, 67, of Groton, was sworn in on Thursday as the presidentially appointed US Attorney for the District of Connecticut by Chief US District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven.
Mr. Durham has served as the interim US Attorney since October 28, 2017, after US Attorney General Jeff Sessions signed an order appointing him to the position.
Back in March 2017 US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has asked for the resignations of all remaining 46 Obama administration US Attorneys across the United States, including Deirdre M. Daly United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, who resigned the same day.
A few days after her resignation, Ms Daly announced that she would continue to serve in her role after all, though her reinstatement will only be for six months. Daly was invited to remain in her post until October. The move reflects a gesture by the Trump administration to afford Daly a chance to complete 20 years of federal service and receive retirement benefits.
Mr. Durham was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as U.S. Attorney on November 1, 2017, and the U.S. Senate confirmed his nomination on February 16, 2018.
“I am very honored to serve as Connecticut’s US Attorney and deeply appreciative of all who have supported my nomination,” said Mr. Durham.
Prior to his appointment as US Attorney, Mr. Durham served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in various positions in the District of Connecticut for 35 years, prosecuting complex organized crime, violent crime, public corruption and financial fraud matters.
From 2008 to 2017, Mr. Durham served as Counsel to the US Attorney; from 1994 to 2008, he served as the Deputy US Attorney, and served as the US Attorney in an acting and interim capacity in 1997 and 1998; from 1989 to 1994, he served as Chief of the Office’s Criminal Division, and from 1982 to 1989, he served as an attorney and then supervisor in the New Haven Field Office of the Boston Strike Force in the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Racketeering Section.
From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Durham also served as the Acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, where he investigated matters relating to the destruction of certain videotapes by the CIA and the treatment of detainees by the CIA.
From 1998 to 2008, Mr. Durham served as a Special Attorney for the District of Massachusetts and Head of the Justice Task Force, where he reviewed alleged criminal conduct by FBI personnel and other law enforcement corruption in Boston, led the prosecution of a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent and a former Massachusetts State Police Lieutenant, and handled direct appeals and related proceedings following convictions after trial.
From 1978 to 1982, Mr. Durham served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office headed by Arnold Markle, and from 1977 to 1978, he served as a Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.
From 1975 to 1977, Mr. Durham worked as a Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana.
Mr. Durham graduated, with honors, from Colgate University in 1972 and the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1975.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation. As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Durham supervises a staff of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and approximately 57 staff members at offices in New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport.
Mr. Durham is the 52nd U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, an office that was established in 1789.
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UPDATE: US Attorney for District of Connecticut Deirdre Daly is Fired, Re-Hired