CHICAGO — Chicago will get a new top federal law enforcement officer after Attorney General Jeff Sessions Friday asked all U.S. attorneys hired during the Obama Administration to step down.
Zachary Fardon, who has been the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois since 2013, will be replaced by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel R. Levin until a permanent replacement is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, according to a statement from federal officials.
New presidents typically replace United States attorneys appointed by their predecessors, especially when control of the White House changes from one political party to another.
In 1993, the Clinton administration fired all 93 United States attorneys on the same day.
Before becoming Chicago's top law enforcement official, Fardon was best known as the prosecutor who put former Illinois Gov. George Ryan behind bars for his role in a scheme to offer driver's licenses for bribes while he was Illinois secretary of state.
Fardon was confirmed to $155,540-a-year U.S. attorney's post with the support of Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and former Sen. Mark Kirk, a Republican. Durbin took to Twitter to voice his dismay with Fardon's departure.
(1/2) Zach Fardon was appointed through a bipartisan process and has served with great distinction as the Northern District’s US Attorney
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) March 10, 2017
(2/2) It’s a shame his service is coming to such an abrupt end
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) March 10, 2017
Mayor Rahm Emanuel did not immediately respond to a question from DNAinfo about Fardon's resignation.
Most recently, Fardon helped lead the investigation of the Chicago Police by the Department of Justice. That inquiry found the police force routinely violated the civil rights of residents by using excessive force caused by poor training and nonexistent supervision.
