Hagan Scotten

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Hagan Scotten
Personal details
Born Long Island, New York, U.S.
Political party Republican
Education Harvard University (JD)
Military service
AllegianceFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Branch/serviceFlag of the United States Army.svg  United States Army
Rank Captain
Unit United States Army Special Forces
 • 5th Special Forces Group
Commands 5th Special Forces Group
Battles/wars Iraq War
Awards Bronze Star (2)

Hagan Scotten is an American attorney who was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York until his resignation in February 2025.

Contents

Early life and military service

Scotten was born on Long Island, New York. [1]

Scotten served in the US Army for nine years. [2] He served three combat tours in Iraq during the Iraq War as a captain in the United States Army Special Forces. [3] He earned two Bronze Star Medals as a troop commander in the Fifth Special Forces Group. [4] He was honorably discharged from the military in 2007. [4]

Education

In 2010, Scotten graduated from Harvard Law School, earning a Fay Diploma given to valedictorians. While at Harvard Law School, Scotten worked on the Harvard Law Review and was named best oralist in the Ames Moot Court Competition in the fall of 2009. [4]

Upon graduating from Harvard Law School, Scotten served as a law clerk for Brett Kavanaugh, then a judge of the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit before Kavanaugh's elevation to the U.S. Supreme Court. Scotten subsequently clerked for another conservative jurist, Chief Justice John Roberts of the U.S. Supreme Court. [4] [5] [6]

After clerking, Scotten entered private practice as an associate for Hogan Lovells. Speaking on behalf of Supreme Court clerks, he said: "Most of us had $100,000 in law-school debt... Getting rid of that debt is a good way to start,” expressing a hope to return to government service. [7] [8]

Assistant U.S. Attorney

Hagan Scotten resignation letter Hagan Scotten Resignation Letter.pdf
Hagan Scotten resignation letter

As an Assistant US Attorney, Scotten handled corruption cases, securing a 9-year sentence against Lamor Whitehead for fraud in 2024. [9]

In the summer of 2021, Scotten initiated an investigation into New York City Mayor Eric Adams. In September 2024, a grand jury seated in the Southern District of New York indicted Adams on charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery from Turkish officials.

In February 2025, acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove instructed interim United States attorney Danielle Sassoon to have Scotten dismiss the charges against Adams without prejudice. Refusing to do so, Sassoon resigned on February 13, 2025 and criticized Bove's explicitly political motivations. [10] The following day, Scotten resigned, writing that: [9] [10] [11] [12]

Any assistant U.S. attorney would know that our laws and traditions do not allow using the prosecutorial power to influence other citizens, much less elected officials. If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice, then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me.

Reference

  1. ↑ Ireland, Corydon (February 8, 2010). "Harvard veterans talk about combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and life at the University". The Harvard Gazette.
  2. ↑ "Army Court of Criminal Appeals hears case at Harvard Law School," Harvard Law Today, February 13, 2009.
  3. ↑ "HLS veterans defend Kagan from “anti-military” charges," Harvard Law Record, February 19, 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "On their way to the next adventure: A look at five new graduates." Harvard Law Today, June 3, 2010.
  5. ↑ Ross O'Keefe (February 14, 2025). "Eric Adams prosecutor resigns, says only a ‘fool’ would drop case in dramatic letter," The Gazette.
  6. ↑ Mangan, Dan (February 14, 2025). "DOJ asks judge to dismiss Eric Adams case after seven prosecutors resign in protest". KXAS-TV . Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  7. ↑ Artemus Ward, Christina Dwyer, Kiranjit Gill (2014). "Bonus Babies Escape Golden Handcuffs: How Money and Politics Has Transformed the Career Paths of Supreme Court Law Clerks Has Transformed the Career Paths of Supreme Court Law Clerks," Marquette Law Review.
  8. ↑ Bruce Love (July 14, 2021). "Signing Bonuses for Supreme Court Clerks Are Set for Another Jump," Law.com.
  9. 1 2 Sager, Monica; Whisnant, Gabe (February 14, 2025). "Prosecutor resigns, warns Trump's DOJ: 'It was never going to be me'". Newsweek . Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  10. 1 2 Bromwich, Jonah E.; Weiser, Benjamin; Rashbaum, William K. (February 14, 2025). "Hagan Scotten, Adams's Lead Prosecutor, Quits Defiantly". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Read the Resignation Letter From Hagan Scotten". The New York Times . February 14, 2025. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 14, 2025. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  12. ↑ Ramey, Corinne, and Sadie Gurman, "Another Star U.S. Prosecutor Quits Over Eric Adams Case, Wall Street Journal , February 14, 2025. Retrieved 2025-02-14.(subscription required)
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