The Justice Department is attempting to replace the top federal prosecutor in Puerto Rico, who has been quietly campaigning to keep her job, WSJ Pro Bankruptcy reported. The Justice Department is close to proposing a candidate to succeed Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, the U.S. attorney for the district of Puerto Rico. Ending her nearly 12-year tenure in office would require the U.S. Senate to confirm a replacement, a process that could take weeks or months. The White House also supports replacing Rodríguez-Vélez. U.S. attorneys, while somewhat autonomous, do take direction from Justice Department headquarters on prosecutorial priorities. Efforts to replace Rodríguez-Vélez coincide with rising concerns from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s San Juan field office and other federal authorities about potential fraud and corruption in Puerto Rico’s public contracting.
