Dallas County Criminal District Attorney John Creuzot is a member of a national coalition of locally-elected top prosecutors who announced today (Wednesday, Jan. 28) the formation of the Project for the Fight Against Federal Overreach, “an effort to hold federal officials accountable when they exceed their lawful authority, especially in states around the country where federal agents are being surged,” according to a press release announcing the project.
“The coalition launches amid growing concerns about warrantless entries, unlawful detentions and coercive enforcement tactics by federal agents, and it’s intended to ensure that constitutional limits on federal power are actively enforced through lawful institutions,” the press release explained.
Creuzot said, “Unfortunately, initiatives like this have become necessary due to actions taken by federal officials across the country — most notably and recently in Minnesota. As local leaders, we are coming together to share resources and ideas to combat violent crime that is the result of federal overreach.”
Creuzot noted that he has a “fully staffed Officer-Involved Shooting Division that collaborates with local law enforcement to investigate officer-involved shootings, whether a person was shot at, wounded or killed,” according to the press release.
Creuzot added, “This office is proud of its collaboration and cooperation with local police agencies in its efforts to hold everyone accountable for unjustified behavior. We pray that, in the near future, the federal government changes course and cooperates with local police and prosecutors’ offices to fully investigate what appear to be unjustified killings of anyone, including American citizens.”
Founding participants include district attorneys from places such as Mary Moriarty from Minneapolis, Larry Krasner from Philadelphia; Jose Garza from Austin; Steve Descano from Fairfax, Va.; Parisa Dehghani-Tafti from Falls Church and Arlington, Va.; Stephanie Morales from Portsmouth, Va.; Ramin Fatehi from Norfolk, Va., and Laura Conover froma Pima County, Ariz.
The coalition will share strategies and best practices among prosecutors, provide regular public updates on efforts to rein in unlawful federal conduct and educate the public on what paths are legally available, and coordinate on accountability efforts across jurisdictions, the press release explained.
Project participants emphasized that accountability is critical to keeping trust in the legal system, with Creuzot commenting, “Violent crime in this community and others — regardless of who commits it — must be addressed. When a person’s death appears to have been caused unjustifiably, it demands a thorough investigation and, when warranted, prosecution.”
Hennepin County, Minn., District Attorney Mary Moriarty, added, “When they see no consequences for unlawful actions, it means people also understand that the rule of law will crumble. That’s the opposite of safety. The American people deserve and indeed need to know that local leaders are working together to defend their constitutional rights.”
Participants plan to convene in early February to share strategies for pushing back against the lawless actions of federal forces in states and cities around the country.
Initial administrative and communications support for the launch is being provided by DEFIANCE.org, other nonpartisan organizations, and the support of ordinary Americans who go to FederalOverreach.org.
— Tammye Nash