There is a great deal of talk about the US Attorney’s Office, Justice Department probe into racism and discrimination in the city of Everett.
Many Everett city employees and officials have apparently been questioned by Justice Department Civil Rights lawyers in the probe, which appears to be ongoing.
The recent resignation of US Attorney Rachael Rollins was thought to have ended the probe, according to those who believe nothing is going to come of the probe.
However, there are others who believe the acting US Attorney Joshua Levy is now overseeing the probe and its apparent continuance, and maybe even its acceleration.
There has been no public comment from the Justice Department or the US Attorney’s office about the status of the probe.
However, the city’s attorneys, Greenberg Traurig, continue their representation for the city by supporting every effort to keep the probe just that, a probe.
So far, the city has been responsible for at least $850,000 in legal fees generated by the international law firm.
Those legal fees have been piling up at the rate of approximately $50,000 a month since the early part of spring according to information shared with the city council by the city solicitor. Attorney A. John Pappalardo, who heads up the city’s defense, said a while back that maintaining lawyer client privilege above all keeps him from commenting on the probe.
There is the belief in legal circles that when lawyers or their clients in such a probe comment, they are made to answer. If made to answer, you can lose.
So the probe remains in play, for now.
What its outcome will be is anyone’s guess.
Many believe intuitively it is going nowhere. Others insist that probes like this take time to put together.
The only thing we know for sure is that the probe is continuing under the newly appointed acting US Attorney.
Soon enough we will all know what comes of this probe…if anything.