Eastern District U.S. Attorney Breon Peace steps down; Carolyn Pokorny named acting head

Pokorny to hold role briefly, with Aidala among rumored successors

December 19, 2024 Robert Abruzzese, Courthouse Editor

Carolyn Pokorny, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, brings decades of experience in federal prosecutions and public service to the role. Brooklyn Eagle photo by Robert Abruzzese

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With Donald Trump’s reelection signaling inevitable changes in federal appointments, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace officially initiated the transition in the Eastern District on Wednesday by announcing his resignation effective Jan. 10, 2025.

Peace, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, has announced he will step down from his role on Jan. 10, 2025, marking the end of a tenure that began in October 2021. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Pokorny will assume the position of acting U.S. attorney following Peace’s departure.

Peace expressed gratitude for his time in the role, calling it “the honor of a lifetime.” Reflecting on his tenure, Peace highlighted his office’s focus on combating violent crime, advancing civil rights, and addressing critical issues like gun violence and corruption.

Pokorny, who returned to the office as first assistant in January 2022, is a Brooklyn Law School graduate who served as associate managing editor of the Brooklyn Law Review. She began her career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx before clerking for the late Hon. Arthur Spatt in the Eastern District.

Over 14 years as an assistant U.S. attorney, she held leadership roles such as chief of the International Narcotics Strike Force and deputy chief of the Criminal Division. Outside the office, Pokorny served as inspector general for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and worked under former Attorney General Loretta Lynch as deputy chief of staff and counselor.

Pokorny’s appointment as acting U.S. attorney makes her the first woman to lead the office since Lynch. With a career defined by tackling complex corruption and narcotics cases, her interim leadership is expected to uphold the office’s commitment to critical enforcement priorities until a permanent successor is named.

Meanwhile, speculation is mounting that prominent Brooklyn attorney Arthur Aidala may be in contention to succeed Peace as U.S. Attorney. Aidala, a former president of the Brooklyn Bar Association, is reportedly being considered by Donald Trump’s transition team. Aidala, known for representing high-profile clients such as Rudy Giuliani and Harvey Weinstein, stated that serving as U.S. attorney would be “the honor of a lifetime.”

Aidala’s potential nomination has drawn attention due to his longstanding connections to Trump and New York’s political landscape. His candidacy comes as Trump evaluates appointments for a possible second term, renewing a conversation that first arose in 2016 when Aidala was briefly considered for the role.

The Eastern District of New York, which covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island, plays a critical role in prosecuting high-stakes cases ranging from organized crime to public corruption.