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Harry Jaffe: D.C.’s new top lawman is a stranger to our streets
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WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Meet Jeffrey Taylor, who is suddenly and without much fanfare the most powerful law enforcement official in D.C. Taylor is a 41-year-old lawyer. He was born and raised in small towns in Northern California. He played high school football and got A’s. He went to Stanford University and got a law degree from Harvard. He served as a prosecutor in San Diego, worked for Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah — where he helped write the U.S. Patriot Act — and did a stint with then-Attorney General John Ashcroft. Most recently, he was counsel to Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez.
Now he’s our top lawman.
What, among his stellar credentials, qualifies Taylor to become the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia? He has experience in fighting terrorists, but can he battle the terrorists who shoot up corners in Anacostia and shake down D.C. residents in Georgetown?
These are some of the questions Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton will have on her mind today when Taylor is scheduled to have his first meeting with our representative in Congress.
“He will be essentially a district attorney,” says Norton, who was not consulted on Taylor’s appointment. “The great majority of his cases will be criminal cases from the District of Columbia.”
I have not met Taylor, who lives with his wife on Capital Hill. I am not passing judgment on him. But it worries me when the top prosecutor in town has never worked our streets.
I wonder how a lawyer who has succeeded among the hard-core Republican elite and specialized in national security matters can direct homicide cases in the lawless lanes of D.C. Our U.S. Attorney’s Office is unique. With 350 lawyers, it is the largest among federal prosecutorial operations. More importantly, it is the only one in the nation that handles both federal and local criminal cases. In every other major city, a local district attorney — elected or appointed — prosecutes local thugs. It is a sad and humbling aspect of Home Rule that we in D.C. have a federal appointee as our D.A.
Taylor succeeds Ken Wainstein, who moves up to run the Justice Department’s new National Security Division. Wainstein was terrific for D.C. Like Taylor, he was a favorite at Main Justice, and he also held a top job at FBI headquarters; but Wainstein also worked as a line prosecutor here in D.C. for years. He locked up murderers. He knew our turf, he put his prosecutors in the community, he sent them after gang-bangers and local hoodlums. Jeff Taylor made his mark as an elite terrorist hunter. He helped create the Patriot Act. A few weeks ago he was Alberto Gonzales’ top counselor on terrorism and national security.
My fear is that he will favor national security prosecutions over keeping D.C. residents secure. When Bill Clinton was president, Eleanor Holmes Norton helped select federal judges and the U.S. Attorney. George W. Bush appoints with little regard for D.C.’s needs.
No wonder Norton believes D.C. should have its own district attorney.
Harry Jaffe has been covering the Washington area since 1985. E-mail him at hjaffe@washingtonian.com.
Comments from Examiner Readers
7:01 AM MST on Fri., Sep. 5, 2008 re: "Harry Jaffe: At Deal Junior High, ‘It’s The Teacher, Stupid’"
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Examiner Reader said:
I am a successful product of Deal JHS. Nothing could replace the experience I had there. Deal opened my eyes to the WORLD! Good looking out too Mrs. Suarez, you still there..from years back? I wouldn’t be here with out your pushing me to be ME!!!!
1 agree | 1 disagree
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J G G Coolidge "68" said:
Marion Barry has done more singlehandedly to create a Black middle class in Washington DC than any other single individual. As far as MR Jaffe's article is concerned, he does not remember, wasn't in DC OR was not affected, by DC Public Schools being the jobs program for the families of congressional staffers and elected officials while in town. DC had a carpetbagger led education system with not enough graduates of Miner College in leadership positions. Barry had faults, I see many people writing who live in glass houses. His singlemost political fault is not having the political will to mandate DC employees to remain DC residents. Thus they became disconnected with the community and its growth or safety. By the way for another who knows nothing than to complain Barry Farms was the first public project housing in DC built long before Mayor Barry entered DC. The nerve of you media and personal complainers who never did, fought, contributed or sacraficed for DC yet you enjoy and take
138 agree | 116 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"when are we going to get past what Marion Barry did years ago and focus on today?" Pray tell, what has he done besides spend half his time in court for drug use and making headlines about his inability to manage his own finances? He certainly hasn't done anything for his Ward 8 constituency? Any new development has simply been a by product of having water views in his ward. Barry Farms - sonething he put name on - is a symbol for all that is wrong with this city. But say one thing for Barry, he got a good government job that he doesn't have to do anything but collect a check.
165 agree | 141 disagree
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Muckle John said:
For the love of god, why is this slug still holding public office?!
156 agree | 158 disagree
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GAB said:
"when are we going to get past what Marion Barry did years ago and focus on today?" When Marion Barry retires from the city council, and when all the lazy, chair-warming, and corrupt city employees he is responsible for hiring leave.
134 agree | 147 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
well said
150 agree | 122 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
when are we going to get past what Marion Barry did years ago and focus on today?
155 agree | 152 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Not sure why there records were mentioned as that does not mean that they ae guilty. Why did they get so little time? This officer never stated what she said first to get the response from the boys which is the reason why they were no lengthy sentences. Officers need to hold themselves to higher standards. These boys are being targeted because she's not satisfied. On 10/19 she had the entire 7 district outside the boys grandma house just because she thought one of the two boys were outside the house (confirmed by a 7 district captain. Neither was present and as a result an estimated 30 police officers are on this one street when they could have been somewhere else doing nothing. By the way these boys do live with their grandma. Was it convenient to pick these two out of 10 because she knew them. What happened to the other 8?
239 agree | 236 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Imagine that the "GRANDMA" calls to defend these kids, wonder where Mom and Dad are???? It's a matter of time and these kids will be in trouble again. Another kid brought up in a broken home blaming the streets for his decisions. Parents need to get a better grip on these kids.
247 agree | 222 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
why doesn't she just move? get out of a bad neighborhood?
211 agree | 210 disagree
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Mike Licht said:
Is DC Government letting the bike vending corporation use city streets for free, like they let advertising companies use it for bus shelters, or is there DC funding?
240 agree | 245 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Harry Jaffe...here you go again....postulating: "...Our commercial real estate market is still one of the hottest in the country, pushing tax revenues up by 16 percent.." Jaffe...every year [5 years past] this city has had a surplus...starting at 90 million -2002 up to $130 million in 2005...HIGH PROPERTY TAXES!!!!!!! Black Families property taxes where higher than most families homes west Rock Creek Park. Jaffe...you failed to ask or Follow WHAT HAPPEN TO THE DISTRICT TOBACCO SETTLEMENT MONEY.... JAFFE...YOU ARE TALKING SMOKE CIRCLES AND your background is definitely not FINANCE. CALVIN H. GURLEY
276 agree | 266 disagree
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EyesWideOpen said:
To Mayor Fenty: "Keep your promises. Fix the schools, train the jobless, repair the lousy roads and eat more leafy vegetables."
267 agree | 262 disagree
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Erica said:
This is just lovely. On a Monday afternoon it's nice to stop and appreciate Bambi and his still-living mom. I wish we could treat all of nature with this kind of respect.
285 agree | 310 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Ms. D: Although the former superintendent had the support of Mayor Williams, why would the former superintendent need support to get textbooks? That is something superintendents all over the country do each year.
322 agree | 319 disagree
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Elizabeth Davis said:
I don't know whether to regard this story as a 'news' article or merely a propaganda campaigned to trash the outgoing superintendent. It would have been more beneficial for me to know how many schools did not receive books and the list of schools rather than the blatant fingerpointing at an administration that never had the underpinnings and mayoral support that our chancellor is afforded. While I'm happy that the Mayor is so willing to provide Ms. Rhee the support she'll need to improve services to schools and children, it would have been great if Dr. Janey and former DC public school administrations had this same level of support from the Mayor and council. If Ms. Rhee fails to turn the system around in two years, I wonder if she will also get a media lynching by the DC power brokers and the media that serves them.
328 agree | 321 disagree
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Mike Licht said:
>>Re: D.C. students will lack books on opening day - as usual<< Hilda L. Ortiz, DCPS Chief Academic Officer and Gloria L. Benjamin, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction, issued updated Learning Standards for many subjects last week. Have these folks order textbooks NOW. In September, as I understand it, Fairfax County Public School teachers will choose from among county-approved textbooks for the 2008-2009 school year, and books will arrive by June 2008. Why can't DCPS do this?
310 agree | 342 disagree
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