President-elect Donald Trump will reportedly replace the US attorney prosecuting New York Mayor Eric Adams and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Trump said on Thursday he wants to oust Damian Williams, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), and replace him with Jay Clayton, his former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The proposed change, which Trump unveiled in a Truth Social post, comes amid Williams overseeing a number of high-profile prosecutions.
These include the public corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams and the sex trafficking case against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Williams was nominated by President Joe Biden in 2021, making him the first Black American to lead the prosecutor’s office and the youngest, at 41 years old.
Trump said Thursday he wants to oust Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), and replace him with Jay Clayton, his former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Damian Williams has overseen a number of high-profile prosecutions, including the public corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams and the sex trafficking case against Sean “Diddy” Combs
Sean ‘Diddy’Combs was charged with numerous sex trafficking and racketeering crimes following his arrest on September 16
Had Vice President Kamala Harris won the presidency, he would be in the running for a top appointment after making his mark in the prosecution industry under the leadership of the SDNY.
The SDNY is known for its handling of complex cases and has secured historic convictions, including fallen crypto king Sam Bankman-Fried.
Fried and Diddy are currently being held in the same prison: the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Diddy was arrested and charged for years of coercion and abuse while using blackmail and violence to control his victims.
He is also accused of inciting female victims and male sex workers to perform drugged, sometimes days-long sexual performances called “Freak Offs.”
Williams’ departure from office will come as his leadership continues to prosecute the bribery and corruption case against Adams.
Federal prosecutor Hagan Scotten said last month that there was evidence that Adams, 64, tried to tamper with a witness in the investigation, claiming that after FBI agents contacted one witness, the person had “a clear message from the suspect.” told him not to do that. be honest with the FBI.
Adams is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery and receiving campaign contributions from foreign nationals.
He is also accused of defrauding New York taxpayers of $10 million through allegedly fraudulent campaign funds.
He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in September, claiming he had done nothing wrong.
It was not immediately clear how Williams’ departure could affect Adam’s case, although the president-elect said he believed the New York mayor was unfairly targeted.
Trump has expressed condolences for Adams and said he was targeted by “crazy” prosecutors.
“We were persecuted, Eric,” Trump told Adams at Al Smith’s recent charity dinner. “You’re going to win, Eric.”
New York Mayor Eric Adams has been charged with five crimes: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, solicitation of a contribution by an alien, wire fraud and bribery.
Clayton was just one of several nominations for top judicial posts that Trump put forward Thursday as the presidential election moves quickly to shape his new administration.
But Trump now has Clayton in his sights as William’s replacement. He previously wrote of the senior advisor and attorney at the Manhattan law firm Sullivan & Cromwell: “Jay is a highly respected business leader, counsel and public servant.
“Jay becomes a strong fighter for the truth.”
Clayton, 58, has no experience in criminal prosecutions but was a corporate lawyer for years before Trump tapped him to lead the SEC.
The incoming president in 2020 tried unsuccessfully to bring in Clayton as the death of the SDNY after former Attorney General Bill Barr tried to push out U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman.
Clayton was just one of several nominations for top judicial posts that Trump put forward Thursday as the presidential election moves quickly to shape his new administration.
He chose Todd Blanche, a former federal prosecutor who defended the president-elect during this year’s “hush money” trial in New York, as assistant attorney general at the Justice Department.
Trump also nominated Blanche’s co-counsel Emil Bove to serve as chief deputy attorney general and acting deputy attorney general, while Blanche is currently being confirmed by the Senate.
Thursday’s nominations come after Trump sent shockwaves through the Justice Department a day earlier when he selected Matt Gaetz, the firebrand former Florida congressman who briefly practiced law before joining Congress, as U.S. attorney general.
The nomination raised alarm bells in Washington’s legal community over concerns that Gaetz would have the ability to use law enforcement against the president-elect’s political opponents.