Special Assistant United States Attorney

Special Assistant United States Attorney

Federal law authorizes the attorney general to appoint special assistant U.S. attorneys, known as SAUSAs, "to assist United States attorneys when the public interest so requires." The "SAUSA" designation is sometimes granted to state prosecutors (such as assistant state attorneys general) working alongside federal prosecutors on various investigations and prosecutions. In addition to designating non-federal employees, the SAUSA designation is also given to federal lawyers employed by non-DOJ agencies, such as the Social Security Administration, U.S. Postal Service, or Federal Bureau of Investigation, who work alongside AUSAs because of their expertise. They are paid by that agency and seconded to a United States Attorney's Office for a set period of time. This designation may also be given to an AUSA who is seconded to a different district or from Main Justice to a specific office. Appointing local prosecutors or enforcement attorneys to assist in a joint investigation and prosecution has been criticized for having the potential for conflicts of interest, selective and vindictive prosecution, as well as dual and successive prosecution.