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Kenneth Polite

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Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr.
Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 20, 2013
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byJim Letten
Personal details
Born1976 (age 47–48)
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Alma materHarvard University A.B.
Georgetown University Law Center J.D.
ProfessionAttorney

Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr. (born 1976) is the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana.[1][2]

Early life and education

Polite was born in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana to teenage parents. His mother, Rosalind, was still in high school when he was born and his father Kenneth Polite Sr., eventually became a police officer.[3] Along with brothers Damion and Tyrrel, Polite was raised by his single mother in the Lower Ninth Ward.[4] In 1993, he graduated as valedictorian from De La Salle High School in New Orleans.[3] He received an artium baccalaureus degree in 1997 from Harvard University. He received a Juris Doctorate in 2000 from Georgetown University Law Center.[5]

Career

In 2001, Polite served as a law clerk to Judge Thomas L. Ambro of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. From 2002 to 2006, he served as an associate at the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in New York City. He served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, from 2007 to 2010. From 2010 to 2013, he was a shareholder at the law firm of Liskow & Lewis in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he headed the firm's White Collar Crime Defense Group and served as the hiring partner.[6][7]

United States Attorney

On June 27, 2013, President Obama nominated Polite to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana for a term of four years, the office having been vacated by Jim Letten, who resigned on December 11, 2012. His nomination was reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 12, 2013, by voice vote.[6] On September 17, 2013, his nomination was confirmed by unanimous consent.[8] He received his commission on September 20, 2013, and took the oath of office the same day. In 2014, Polite created the Crescent City Keepers Mentoring Program, aimed at using faith communities to mentor at-risk youth. He also created an anti corruption unit to address claims of civil rights violations and public corruption.[9][10][11] That same year, Polite introduced the 30-2-2 reentry program for former inmates. The program joined with 30 local businesses who agreed to hire two formerly incarcerated individuals for two years.[12][13]

In 2015, Polite was named to the Attorney General's Advisory Committee, a national advisory board for the U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch.[14] The advisory board provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General and other Justice Department officials on issues related to policy and operations.[15]

Under Polite, the US Attorney's office has brought several high profile cases against individuals such as Robert Durst, Ray Nagin, Big Freedia and Darren Sharper.[16][17][18]

Personal life

Polite is married to Florencia Greer Polite, an OBGYN physician and Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at the LSU Health Sciences Center. The couple met while attending Harvard. The couple and their two daughters live in New Orleans.[19][20]

He has served on the Louisiana Civil Service Commission and the board of New Orleans College Prep Charter School in Central City.[19] Polite cites the murder of his half-brother in New Orleans in 2004, as a factor in becoming a prosecutor.[21]

Polite is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.[22] In 2015, Polite received an honorary doctorate from Loyola University.[23]

References

  1. ^ Chandler, Natalie (March 7, 2016). "Honorees Chosen for 12th 'Leadership in Law' Class". New Orleans CityBusiness. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  2. ^ Kunzelman, Michael (December 5, 2013). "Holder Lauds New U.S. Attorney in New Orleans Visit". The Advocate. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Beck, Jessica. "Kenneth Polite Brings New Energy to the US District Attorney's Office in Eastern Louisiana". NolaWoman. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  4. ^ Parker, Nancy (2014). "U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite and His Mother Remember Humble Beginnings". WVUE New Orleans. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  5. ^ Lewis, Edmund (March 11, 2013). "Supporters Say Polite is a Great Choice for U.S. Attorney Post". The Louisiana Weekly. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  6. ^ a b "President Obama Nominates Kenneth Allen Polite, Jr., to serve as U.S. Attorney". White House. June 27, 2013. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  7. ^ "Five to Receive Monte M. Leman Awards". The Advocate. October 20, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  8. ^ Senate Periodical Press Gallery
  9. ^ Finney, Peter (January 22, 2014). "U.S. Attorney Has De La Salle Roots". Clarion Herald. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  10. ^ Finney, Peter (September 19, 2014). "Reaching Out in Faith For Peace". Clarion Herald. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  11. ^ Grimm, Andy (October 23, 2014). "U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite, One of Obama's Youngest Appointees, Focuses on Youth in First Year". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  12. ^ Bordelon, Christine (October 16, 2014). "Changes Being Made in Justice System, Sentencing". Clarion Herald. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  13. ^ Eisen, Lauren-Brooke (November 30, 2014). "Prosecutors Can Play Role in Ending Mass Incarceration". The Huffington Post. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  14. ^ Sledge, Matt (April 30, 2015). "U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite Named to Panel That Will Advise AG Loretta Lynch". The New Orleans Advocate. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  15. ^ Grimm, Andy (April 30, 2015). "U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite Appointed to DOJ Advisory Committee". The Times Picayune. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  16. ^ "Robert Durst Sentenced to Over Seven Years in Prison". United States Department of Justice. April 27, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  17. ^ Linderman, Juliet (February 12, 2014). "U.S. Attorney, Local Watchdogs Hail Ray Nagin Guilty Verdict". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  18. ^ Red, Christian (August 18, 2016). "Ex-NFL Star Darren Sharper Gets 18 Years in Federal Prison For Drugging, Raping More Than Half Dozen Women". Daily News. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  19. ^ a b "U.S. Attorney candidate Ken Polite Brings Youth, Experience, Backers Say". The Times-Picayune. February 8, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  20. ^ "Florencia Polite, M.D." LSU Health. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  21. ^ DeBerry, Jarvis (March 28, 2014). "Kenneth Polite's Brother's Murder Stays on His Mind". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  22. ^ Jackson, Donnell (August 11, 2015). "New Orleans Schools Receive More than $60K in computer Technology From Kappa Alpha Psi". WDSU New Orleans. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  23. ^ "Honorary Degrees". Loyola University. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
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