President Donald Trump is expected to pick Leah Foley as the next U.S. attorney for Massachusetts, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the process.
Foley, a member of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit of the officehe was a candidate for office the last time Trump took office, but he was ultimately the office Andrew Lelling.
Foley’s choice would align with what is expected to be the top priority for the incoming U.S. attorney, Brian Kellya former federal prosecutor and now partner at Nixon Peabody, told MassLive.
“They’re going to do a lot more immigration-type cases, and they’re probably going to take a harder line on a lot of these drug cases, which involve people who are here illegally,” Kelly said in a phone interview Monday afternoon .
He praised Foley as “very well qualified” for the job.
If Foley is nominated for the job, it would first go before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which could vote to advance her nomination to the full Senate. If he did, Foley would have to be confirmed by the 100-member body.
Should Foley be selected and confirmed for the job, she would likely choose a first assistant to serve as her deputy. A new US attorney may also select new unit leaders within the office.
Once they accept the job, they usually get a briefing from the leaders of each unit on what their departments are working on.
Incoming administrators typically receive a memo from the attorney general outlining the federal Justice Department’s priorities, Kelly said. Trump has nominated Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for the post.
Trump has made no nominations or formal announcements about who might lead the office, which is currently overseen by acting. US Attorney Mary B. Murranewho was the former first assistant US attorney Joshua Levy.
Levy resigned from the position on January 17 after holding the top job for more than a year. He took over the US Attorney’s office when Rachael Rollins resigned amid an ethics scandal in 2023.