Pallone seeks deferred prosecution oversight
By EditorRep. Frank Pallone, who has emerged as one of U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie’s harshest critics on the hiring of John Ashcroft as a federal monitor, today introduced legislation that would require clear guidelines and independent oversight for federal prosecutors entering into deferred prosecution agreements. Pallone’s proposal would require the Justice Department to ask a federal judge to approve the appointment of a monitor from a list of pre-qualified firms.
"In the absence of any guidance from the Justice Department on how to use, craft, and implement deferred prosecution agreements, legislation is desperately needed that lays out a specific framework as to when these agreements can be used," Pallone said. "My legislation establishes such guidelines to constrain the unfettered discretion that U.S. Attorneys now enjoy so the American people can be confident that their use is not being abused."
Pallone says his legislation “removes the appearance of any favoritism, political interference or backroom gamesmanship by providing independent third party oversight through the federal judiciary for deferred prosecution agreements and the choosing of federal monitors.”
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