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By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association
Photo: Tara McGrath. Courtesy Southern District of California
February 13, 2025 (San Diego) - After 16 months as the chief federal law enforcement official in San Diego, Tara McGrath has been given her walking papers by the White House.
U.S. Attorney McGrath’s tenure in San Diego and Imperial counties ended Wednesday, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
No specific reason was given, but new presidents typically install new U.S. attorneys. Two weeks before Donald Trump was inaugurated, McGrath highlighted her office’s role in prosecuting January 6 riot defendants.
“As a presidential appointee, Ms. McGrath was informed of her termination in a communication from the White House, at the direction of the president of the United States,” said a news release. “The White House also thanked Ms. McGrath for her service to the nation.”
Under the Vacancies Reform Act, career prosecutor and current First Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Haden has taken over as the acting U.S. attorney, effective Wednesday.
Writing for Bloomberg Law, Ben Penn on Wednesday said the Trump administration has started firing the remaining Biden-appointed U.S. attorneys — those who hadn’t already resigned. America has 93 U.S. attorneys.
“However, in what was described as a major departure from past practice, the White House didn’t coordinate with DOJ’s Executive Office for US Attorneys and in at least one office, a successorship plan wasn’t known, creating confusion over who would sign court filings,” said the report, citing two sources.
“They said the firings were relayed in a one-sentence message from the White House declaring they’re being terminated, effective immediately, at the direction of President Donald J. Trump.”
In a statement, McGrath said: “It has been an honor to serve as U.S. attorney, working alongside an exceptional team in this office and forging strong partnerships with our law enforcement agencies and communities in pursuit of justice.
“As I step down from a decades-long career in public service, I remain inspired by dedicated public servants across this district and am proud of all we achieved together.”
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former federal prosecutor in San Diego, she was sworn in as the district’s top federal law enforcement official on October 5, 2023.
She oversaw one of the nation’s busiest United States Attorney’s Offices, which has a staff of nearly 300 and serves about 3.5 million residents in San Diego and Imperial counties.
During her tenure, said the release, McGrath prioritized protecting the community from the deadly scourge of fentanyl; investigating and prosecuting scammers targeting vulnerable populations; getting firearms out of the hands of felons and violent offenders; bringing cases to root out corruption and enforce civil rights; and using the legal tools available to safeguard the environment.
The office also successfully prosecuted cases involving Mexican drug cartels and drug trafficking — leading the nation in the number of drug trafficking cases prosecuted — as well as firearms trafficking and violent crime; complex financial frauds; national security and cybersecurity; and human smuggling and trafficking.
Key accomplishments listed for McGrath’s leadership:
- Became first in the nation to charge defendants for smuggling potent greenhouse gases across the U.S.-Mexico border, in violation of U.S. environmental laws.
- Secured sentences of six consecutive life terms and 45 years, respectively, for brothers convicted of murdering their American half sister, her three children, and her partner in Tijuana.
- Reinforced the region’s Elder Justice Task Force in partnership with the FBI and San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, recovering approximately $4.5 million stolen from elderly victims through sophisticated scams.
- Charged 40 individuals with stealing public-assistance benefits from low-income families, as part of an ongoing effort targeting thieves who exploit the government’s electronic payment system.
- Negotiated a $130,131,645 forfeiture settlement with Wynn Las Vegas for criminal conspiracy involving unlicensed money transmitting businesses worldwide. Achieved what is believed to be the largest forfeiture by a casino based on admissions of criminal wrongdoing.
- Secured conviction at trial against a defendant on 25 counts of securities fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering in connection with a $35 million investment and COVID-relief fraud scheme. Highlighted victim impact during the trial, including the defendant’s immigrant uncle who’d been swindled out of $4.5 million and many other victims who collectively lost millions of dollars.
- Facilitated the extradition of Michael Pratt, the alleged mastermind behind the GirlsDoPorn commercial sex trafficking ring, following his arrest in Spain after more than three years as an international fugitive.
This includes cases brought under the False Claims Act across a broad spectrum of program areas including health care, defense procurement, and the Paycheck Protection Program enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
McGrath graduated from University of Michigan Law School in 2001 and earned a B.A., cum laude, from Boston College in 1995.
McGrath — in her late 40s — also oversaw key civil cases, including successful defensive litigation on behalf of the United States, and led efforts to recover millions of dollars from individuals and companies involved in fraud and civil rights violations.
Since McGrath took the helm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has obtained settlements and recoveries in excess of $41 million.