It’s been 600 days since the Enron Task Force disbanded after former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling received his sentence of 24 years in prison. As part of the wider commemorations of the anniversary, it was thought timely to check “Where Are They Now?” for a group characterized as a “huge success” and whom even the Coolidge Republicans of the Bancroft-era Wall Street Journal editorial pages said had “a good record overall.”
The Justice Department’s massive effort resulted in several dozen convictions or plea bargains, most of which have been upheld, and its breadth included Arthur Andersen and the London bankers known as the NatWest Three. In the light of unclear GAAP rules on Enron, the Task Force achieved regulation by prosecutorial deterrence.
More after the jump.
The fifteen Task Force lawyers have gone on to bigger and better things: Kathryn Ruemmler, John Hueston, and Cliff Stricklin took partnership offers at top firms in DC, LA, and Denver, respectively. Sam Buell opted for the ivory tower instead and teaches at The University of Texas law school. Matthew Friedrich now heads the Criminal Division at DOJ after serving as special counsel to Attorney General Al Gonzalez, while his former colleague, Lisa Monaco, was first special counsel and now Chief of Staff to FBI Director Robert Mueller.
Andrew Weissman, the second director to head up the Task Force, was also special counsel to Mueller and is now a partner at Jenner & Block’s New York office. Leslie Caldwell, the previous director, is presently co-chair of the White Collar Practice at Morgan, Lewis & Brockius. Ben Campbell is the US Attorney for the Eastern District of
New York. John Kroger won the Democratic primary for Oregon’s Attorney General race and followed this up by winning the Republican primary as a write-in candidate.
Sean Berkowitz, the third and last director of the Task Force, joined Latham & Watkins as a partner immediately after the disbandment, then successfully wooed Bethany McLean and ensured a lifetime of good press coverage (plus a table at the Waverly Inn).
In sum: Life has been pretty good to these guys.
–by senior crime and punishment correspondent Andrew.
Isn’t this article more for “Abovethelaw” Dealbreaker’s sister” site? Carney, who’s running this place you or Fuld?
Just out of curiousity, is this Kroger guy now running against himself in Oregon, as he won both the Democratic and Republican primaries…?
Sam Buell moved from UT to Wash U Law in St. Louis a couple of years ago.
It’s Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. No “r” in Bockius.
Why shouldn’t these former AUSAs go on to good private sector jobs? They wouldn’t have been able to become AUSAs if they didn’t do very well in law school.
Actually the Arthur Anderson conviction was overturned, but it’s not like it brought them back anyway.
Yes, the Arthur Andersen conviction was overturned by a unanimous decision of the Supreme Court — but not before it nuked the jobs and careers and finances of 10′s of thousands of (former) employees. And these government guys are touted as heroes while Jeff Skilling serves out his life in prison over dubious, inflated and questionable charges. Life has been pretty good to these guys indeed.