Capital's chief federal prosecutor position filled by former Fox News anchor Jeanine Pirro, as approved by the Senate
In the world of law and politics, few figures have been as polarising as Jeanine Pirro. Born in Elmira, New York, of Lebanese-American heritage, Pirro embarked on a legal career that would see her make history and court controversy in equal measure.
After graduating from Albany Law School in 1975, Pirro began her career as an Assistant District Attorney in Westchester County, New York. In 1990, she was appointed as a judge of the Westchester County Court, and in 1993, she made headlines as the first woman elected Westchester County District Attorney. During her three terms in office, Pirro established the country's first domestic violence prosecution unit and gained national recognition for her work on domestic violence and elder crimes.
Pirro's prosecutorial style was marked by aggression, particularly as the chief of the Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Bureau. She implemented a strict policy against dropping cases at a victim's request due to concerns about coercion. However, her relationship with superiors was sometimes contentious, with tensions with District Attorney Carl Vergari being well-documented. These tensions were, in part, attributed to Pirro's practice of issuing press releases bearing her own name and claiming sole responsibility for the domestic violence bureau.
Beyond her legal career, Pirro is widely known for her television career, including hosting Fox News's Justice with Judge Jeanine and co-hosting The Five. Her political views and support for Donald Trump shaped her public image. In 2020, she was appointed by President Trump as the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, a position confirmed by the Senate in 2021.
However, controversies have followed Pirro throughout her career. Her aggressive prosecutorial tactics and clashes with superiors have been factors in public perception. Her television persona, with its politically polarising stances, has also been a point of contention. These controversies have been significant during her transition back to government prosecution.
In 2021, Smartmatic USA sued Fox News, Jeanine Pirro, and others for spreading false claims about the company's role in the 2020 presidential election. The libel suit seeks $2.7 billion from the defendants.
In summary, Jeanine Pirro has a substantial legal background and courtroom experience marked by several historic firsts. Her career has been marked by controversy, particularly in her aggressive prosecutorial style and clashes with superiors, as well as her politically polarising media profile. Despite these controversies, Pirro has been confirmed as the top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia by the Senate.
- Amid her legal and television career, Jeanine Pirro's political views and general-news coverage have often sparked debates, as shown in the 2021 libel suit involving Smartmatic USA.
- Beyond her domestic violence prosecution work, Jeanine Pirro's career in the world of politics and general-news television has frequently been marred by controversies, such as the allegations in the Smartmatic USA lawsuit.
