So the principals good prosecutors have at their foundation and their core...the need to ascertain the facts and to apply the law to the facts. And you have to do that in a way that's non-political, that isn't subject to the whims of different viewpoints and social media. -Richard Hartunian, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District
Over 3 million people living in 32 Upstate counties come under the protection of the Justice Department's Northern District of New York. The federal agency is tasked with prosecuting crimes involving gangs, drug trafficking, political corruption, child pornography and many other threats to our communities. Ultimately, the success or failure of the attorneys working for the Northern District is felt in our cities, our towns, our neighborhoods.
The pursuit of justice has always been difficult job. Now more than ever, it's a difficult job that comes under intense public and political scrutiny.
For over seven years, Rick Hartunian was the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District. Hartunian, like most of his counterparts, has vacated his office to make way for new faces appointed by our new president. In this podcast Hartunian reflects on his time as a U.S. Attorney, and offers a unique vantage-point on the biggest challenges Upstate New York is facing.
Photos by Getty.