Rachel Paulose

Rachel Kunjummen Paulose (born March 12, 1973, Kerala, India) is a counselor in the Office of Legal Policy of the United States Department of Justice. She is the former U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota. Palouse resigned the position of U.S. Attorney on November 19, 2007. She was the first Indian American womanRachel Paulose Confirmed as U.S. Attorney for Minn. District (2007, January 12). India-West, p. A1,A37.] , the youngest person, and the first woman to lead the District of Minnesota. [http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_343160333.html Senate Confirms U.S. Attorney For Minnesota] WCCO - December 9, 2006]

Early life

Paulose was born to Lucy Paulose, a CEO of an electronics company, and Joseph Paulose, a school administrator. Her maternal grandparents Daniel and Sara Kujummen immigrated to the U.S. from Kerala in the 1960s. Rachel moved to the U.S. a few months after her birth and grew up in Ohio. She moved to Minnesota at the age of 17. Paulose's great-grandfather, Cheruvallethu Mathunni Abraham (Avarachan Upadeshi) was a founder of the Indian Brethren Christian Evangelical movement in Kerala, and a pre-eminent minister. [ [http://www.christianencyclopedia.info/showtitle.asp?id=195 Christian Encyclopedia ] ] [ [http://www.keralabrethren.net/history_eng.asp History of Kerala Brethren _ KeralaBrethren.net ] ]

In 1994, she earned a B.A. (summa cum laude) from the University of Minnesota where she was Phi Beta Kappa and a Truman Scholar. She earned her J.D. from the Yale Law School, where she was a Coker Fellow [http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2006/February/06_opa_087.html Justice Department Announces Appointment of Rachel K. Paulose as United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota] U.S. Department of Justice - February 17, 2006] , Editor of the Yale Journal of Law & Feminism, Board Member of the Asian American Students' Association and the Yale Law Christian Fellowship [http://st124.startlogic.com/~aapressc/communitynews.php?subaction=showfull&id=1166207001&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3& Asian American Press] Asian Press - December 15, 2006] as well as Sunday school teacher at the New Haven Westville Bible Chapel. [ [http://judiciary.house.gov/Media/PDFS/DOJDocsPt2-9070319.pdf Microsoft Word - Document4 ] ]

Career

Paulose's legal career began in 1997 when she worked as a law clerk under Judge James B. Loken of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Her cases included violent crime, illegal drugs, economic crimes, and enforcement of civil rights. She then worked as a trial attorney in the Attorney General's Honors Program from 1998 to 1999.

From 1999 until 2002, she worked as an Assistant United States Attorney. Her work included prosecution in District Court and defense in US Court of appeals. Cases involved narcotics, violent crime, economic crime. Jury trial and Eighth circuit appellate highlights: precedent-setting detention of suspect based on economic threat alone; precedent-setting appellate work rejecting expansion of alien criminal defendants' claims of rights under Vienna Convention.

She worked in private practice after 2002 with the Williams & Connolly law firm in Washington D.C until 2003, where her work focused on health care litigation and business. Work also included defense against class action suit demanding slavery reparations.

She was with the Dorsey & Whitney law firm in Minneapolis from 2003 until December, 2005. [http://judiciary.house.gov/Media/PDFS/DOJDocsPt2-9070319.pdf] Work included successful representation of Republican party in election lawsuit; defense of faith-based health care programs. [http://judiciary.house.gov/Media/PDFS/DOJDocsPt2-9070319.pdf]

Appointment as U.S. Attorney

In January 2006, Paulose returned to the Justice Department where she served briefly as Senior Counsel to Acting Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty and she was the Department’s Special Counsel for Health Care Fraud. She was a special assistant to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The following month, on February 17th, [http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2006/February/06_opa_087.html] , she was appointed to serve as interim US Attorney for the District of Minnesota. The incumbent U. S. Attorney, Thomas Heffelfinger had announced his resignation effective February 28th.

On February 17th, 2006 Rachel Paulose's appointment was announced "under a controversial provision of the renewed Patriot Act that allowed Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to indefinitely appoint "interim" U.S. attorneys." [ [http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2007/04/mutiny_in_minne.html The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times : Mutiny in Minnesota ] ] .

On August 3, 2006, while serving as interim U.S. Attorney in Minnesota, Paulose's nomination was sent to the U.S. Senate by President George W. Bush [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/08/20060803-9.html] . She was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a voice vote [http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_343160333.html] on December 9 2006, the last day of the 109th Congress. [http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_343160333.html] .

The confirmation occurred without a hearing or vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee, but was moved out of committee as part of a rarely used [ [http://www.opencrs.com/rpts/RL31980_20050524.pdf Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure ] ] "discharge resolution." [ [http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2006_record&page=S11847&position=all Retrieve Pages ] ] Paulose was sworn in as U.S. Attorney on March 9, 2007.

Paulose has pledged to fight child pornographers, and has stated that they are becoming "more graphic, more heinous, and frankly appalling." She has spoken out against urban crime, stating that it threatens the American way of life, and noted that public officials should be held accountable for their actions.

Controversies

wearing-in ceremony

Paulose's investiture was held before 300 people in the atrium of the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, MN on Friday, March 9, 2007. Subsequently, Minneapolis television station KSTP ran a piece likening it to a "coronation", showing a program that referred to a "processional" and included a U.S. Marine color guard, professional photographer and choir, which was shown singing. Raju D. Kunjummen, Th.M., Paulose's uncle and Associate Professor at Michigan Theological Seminary, offered the invocation.

Swearing-in ceremonies for U.S. Attorneys are normally modest affairs held at the appropriate federal courthouse.McLean, Leah; " [http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/s39841.shtml Was U.S. Attorney's swearing-in ceremony too extravagant?] "; KSTP, Minneapolis-St. Paul. 23 March 2007.]

Paulose has dismissed the criticism, saying the program KSTP based its report on was inaccurate and had been discarded long before the ceremony, although the color guard and choir were indeed present. She also added that the cost to taxpayers was minimal since the school donated the use of their atrium (which they normally rent for $1,500) for the investiture ceremony at her request, she paid for everything and the total government cost of the ceremony was only $225, less than half the $500 she was budgeted.Cohen, Mark; April 2, 2007; [http://minnlawyer.blogspot.com/2007/04/making-federal-case-over-225-coronation_01.html Making a federal case over a $225 'coronation'] " Minnesota Lawyer; retrieved from blogspot.com April 7, 2007.] Representatives of government watchdog groups said the donation was inappropriate and that the money spent didn't include the cost to taxpayers of event planning by Paulose's employees.

In addition the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported that it was unusual that "the former U.S. attorney for Minnesota, Thomas Heffelfinger, was not invited" to the ceremony, Paulose's spokesperson, Jeanne Cooney,said "It was a public event. Anybody who wanted to go could have gone."http://www.startribune.com/357/story/1092041.html] The article speculates that Heffelfinger, a moderate Republican, could have been a candidate for a purge list, had he not stepped aside to make way for a more conservative candidate.

"Problem" press

While interviewing Paulose, a reporter with KSTP-TV, a local ABC affiliate, stated that he was in possession of a six-page single-spaced document from the U.S. Attorney's office that "identified 'problem-reporters.'" [http://www.kstp.com/article/stories/S39867.shtml?cat=1?cat=1&v=1 Kstp.com ] ] Paulose only denied producing this list, but when asked whether she was "aware" of the list, she only replied that "I don't know why you are asking me this."

taff resignations

On April 5, 2007, three of her top administrators — First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marti, second in command; civil division head Erika Monzangue and criminal division head James Lackner — voluntarily resigned those positions, reverting to simple assistant U.S. attorney status, reportedly in protest over Paulose's management style. According to the "Minneapolis Star-Tribune", she was noted for dressing down underlings and quoting Bible verses on the job. [http://cbs2chicago.com/national/US.attorney.paulose.2.591981.html Minnesota's U.S. Attorney Being Moved To D.C.] CBS2Chicago. 20 November 2007.] [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/20/national/main3524872.shtml U.S. Attorney "Kicked Out And Kicked Up"] CBS News. 20 November 2007.]

The resignations occurred after a visit from a representative of the Executive Office of the U.S. Attorney in Washington. [http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1104033.html 3 federal prosecutors quit manager posts] Minneapolis Star-Tribune. 5 April 2007.] A later report said that the visit had been a last-ditch attempt by the Bush administration to persuade the three not to resign, and that a fourth official declined to comment on whether he had resigned or not.Murphy, Esme; April 6, 2007; [http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_095231032.html 4 In U.S. Attorney's Office Resign In Protest] ; WCCO-TV; retrieved April 8, 2007.] Paulose's defenders say that three simply had trouble changing their ways to accommodate an aggressive young prosecutor determined to bring the office more into line with the Attorney General's policies, and it has nothing to do with politics.Johnston, David; April 7, 2007; [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/07/washington/07attorneys.html Deputies to a U.S. Attorney Step Down] ; "The New York Times"; retrieved April 8, 2007.]

The "St. Paul Pioneer Press" later reported that the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee would probably be investigating the resignations.Prather, Shannon; April 7, 2007; [http://www.twincities.com/ci_5612520?nclick_check=1 U.S. attorneys' revolt heard all the way to Capitol Hill] ; "St. Paul Pioneer Press"; retrieved from twincities.com April 8, 2007.]

US Attorney dismissal controversy

On April 17th, the AP reported that Ms. Paulose had been contacted for voluntary questioning by the US House Judiciary Committee in relation to the "firings of 8 U.S. federal prosecutors" [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-usatty31may31,0,7660086,full.story?coll=la-home-center]

On May 31, 2007, the "Los Angeles Times" published an article lending credence to the argument that Paulose's predecessor was removed from his post for failing to pursue voter fraud cases that would prevent a significant number of Native Americans in Minnesota from casting ballots in the 2004 election, and that Paulose's appointment stemmed not only from her credentials, but from her work in private law filing "election lawsuits on behalf of the Minnesota GOP." [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-usatty31may31,0,7660086,full.story?coll=la-home-center]

Heffelfinger and an assistant US Attorney, Rob Lewis, had previously expressed their concern "about possible voter discrimination against Indians," according to the "Times" article. Also reported is the observation that one of Paulose's "first acts in office was to remove Lewis, who had written the 2004 e-mails to Washington expressing concern about Native American voting rights in Minnesota, from overseeing voting rights cases."

On September 24th the Washington Post reported that Paulose "is the subject of an investigation by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel into allegations that she mishandled classified information, retaliated against those who crossed her, and made racist remarks about a support staff employee, said multiple sources in Minnesota and Washington, who declined to be identified because the probe is still under way.In addition, an internal Justice Department audit completed last month said her employees gave her very low marks, alleging that she treats subordinates harshly and lacks the requisite experience for the job, said several sources familiar with the audit. Her performance review was so poor that Kenneth E. Melson, head of the department's Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, took the unusual step of meeting with her in Minnesota several weeks ago, two sources said."

"See:Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy".

Resignation from U.S. Attorney office

Palouse resigned her position on November 19, 2007, to work at the Justice Department. [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/20/washington/20cnd-justice.html?hp] In reaction, Senator Norm Coleman said: "I support Rachel Paulose's decision today to step down from her duties as Minnesota's U.S. attorney. I have made it clear that I have had concerns about the office of the U.S. attorney under her watch, and I believe this decision will allow the office to move forward." Amy Klobuchar, the other U.S. Senator from Minnesota, also welcomed the resignation.

Memberships

*The Federalist Society: (2001 to present)
*Yale Law School Fund.(1997 to 2005): Board of Directors
*Federal Bar Association.
*National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (Minnesota Chapter).
*Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation.
*Trust for Public Land.
*Republican Party (1992 to 2005: elected state, district and county delegate, volunteer)

References

External links

* [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/mn/ United States Attorney's Office]
* [http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?city=EAGAN&st=MN&last=PAULOSE&first=RACHEL Paulose's donations totalling $1,500.00 to the campaign of Norm Coleman at Newsmeat.com]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/13/washington/13justice.html?hp New York Times article from November 13, 2007]