Manhattan’s Top Prosecutor Damian Williams Announces Decision To Step Down In December

Job well done, Mr. Williams!

The first Black man to hold the title of federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, announced he will step down in December 2024, NBC News reports.

The popular U.S. attorney was the face behind convictions in headlining cases, including Democratic New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, and troubled cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried. He is also overseeing the prosecutions of New York City Mayor Eric Adams and hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. As the first Black man to hold the prestigious post, Williams was nominated by President Joe Biden in 2021 as a veteran of the office. President-elect Donald Trump, who is facing his own legal troubles in the Big Apple, has already announced his intention to replace Williams.

In a statement, Williams says serving has been “an honor to serve the American people” and called the decision to resign “bittersweet.” “It is bitter in the sense that I am leaving my dream job, leading an institution I love that is filled with the finest public servants in the world,” he said, pushing for Dec. 13 as his step-down date.

“It is sweet in that I am confident I am leaving at a time when the Office is functioning at an incredibly high level — upholding and exceeding its already high standard of excellence, integrity, and independence.”

The office, once held by disgraced former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, plays a critical role in some of the country’s most sensitive and high-profile criminal cases, including cases of public corruption, securities fraud, and terrorism. In early 2024, Williams oversaw a case involving an Iranian man charged in an assassination plot against Trump.

The indicted businessman has nominated the former head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Jay Clayton, to take over once inaugurated, calling him “a highly respected business leader, counsel, and public servant” who is “going to be a strong Fighter for the Truth as we Make America Great Again.”

During Williams’ tenure in office, he did more than fight against the rich and famous. He also fought for the people of the state and various agencies. According to USA Today, Williams prosecuted a daycare owner accused of operating a fentanyl operation that resulted in the death of a one-year-old child and three others being hospitalized.

As crime escalated inside NYC’s infamous Rikers Island prison, he created the Civil Rights Unit in SDNY’s criminal division with a focus on enforcing civil rights. A receiver was set to be appointed to address the violence and dysfunction inside prison walls.

Following Williams’ departure, his deputy, Edward Y. Kim, will sit as acting U.S. attorney.