Morgenthau Goes Out Swinging at Bloomberg

Julie Jacobson/AP

90-year-old Manhattan D.A. Robert Morgenthau is retiring Thursday after a 35 year reign, and he's not pulling any punches in his exit interviews with the media. Morgenthau's still lashing out at federal bureaucracy—"they ought to burn it down and start all over again"—for, most recently, interfering in his case against Credit Suisse. After copping to aiding Iran and other rogue nations in violation of economic sanctions, the bank coughed up $536 million. (The feds wanted only civil penalties.) But Morgenthau, naturally, saved his nastiest criticism for his "chickenshit" nemesis Mayor Bloomberg.

In a candid Wall Street Journal profile, which described Morgenthau as "the world's district attorney" for his success in prosecuting international business cases, Morgenthau reignited a long-running feud between himself and Bloomberg. It all started in 2007 after Morgenthau's office began looking into city's negligence in the 2007 Deutsche Bank fire that killed two firefighters, he received a call from a Bloomberg "minion" who said, "The mayor wanted me to tell you that he's surprised that you're looking at the Deutsche Bank case." Morgenthau replied, "You tell the mayor that I'm surprised that he's surprised." Speaking with the Journal, Morgenthau explained that Bloomberg "thinks all lawyers work for him" and "doesn't want anybody around who doesn't kiss his ring, or other parts of his body."

Morgenthau, the longest-serving district attorney in Manhattan, says he doesn't plan to disappear after Thursday, and may even start working for a law firm. "It may be crazy,” he tells the Times. "I wouldn’t deny that." And there's still time for more justice this week; after the Credit Suisse settlement was confirmed, he was overheard asking his Assistant DA, "Can we get anything else out in December?" Asked about any other investigations that might bear fruit before his era ends, Morgenthau told reporters, "We’ll think of something."

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By John Del Signore in News on December 28, 2009 5:24 PM

Comments [rss]

longacre

In fairness, he's probably played the I'm-old-you-can't-fuck-with-an-old-person-without-looking-like-an-asshole-card for about 25 years, since 65 is still kind of old.

robindustry

I LOVE this guy! I met him this fall. He owns an apple picking orchard in Fishkill. Stick it to F-ing Bloomburg.

timmmyk

I LOVE this guy, always have. I stood next to him on the Lexington Avenue train once, could hardly believe a man as distinguished as himself was a straphanger and did not use taxpayer's money to be chauffeured around.

GOP

This mfer is OLD as fuck. Wtf is up with his face?

Sommelier

Yeah... he's 90 years old, he's the DA of Manhattan & runs perhaps the finest DA's office in the entire country.

What are you doing with YOUR life, at what... 1/3 his age?

GOP

Are you working at the DA's office because you couldn't get yourself a biglaw job?

Sommelier

Still not going to answer the question about what you're doing with your pathetic life while you criticize an accomplished gentleman... for being 90 years old?

No wonder you use the name "GOP": no ideas, just mindless, pathetic criticism. Run home, son. The adults are busy here.

GOP

And I criticized him for being ugly, not being 90 years old. Learn to read in your customer service job. Stop posting on Gothamist during your 15 min bathroom breaks.

Don't hate me because I can afford the wines that you merely sip, spit and snoot about. With a high-brow, poserish handle like Sommelier, the douchiness can be felt through this anonymous comment area. Tell me what YOU do with your life, wino.

thefacts

Yesterday, 7:42 pm: "This mfer is OLD as fuck."

Today, 1:06 pm: "And I criticized him for being ugly, not being 90 years old."

Forgot what you wrote, old boy?

GOP

thefacts have spoken. I have been pwned.

GOP

Right. I am the POTUS and the chief judge on SCOTUS. Does that answer your question? Idiot. What the fuck does it matter what I answer (or don't answer) on an anonymous comment area where no facts can be corroborated? Have fun in your city job and your loan forgiveness after 10 years.

thefacts

If you're lucky, some day you will be that old.

Only with worse looks, less brains, and fewer achievements.

thefacts

It is widely recognized in legal circles that Morgenthau's DA Office has no equal in the country. Too bad he is going; let's hope Vance keeps the tradition alive.

If anyone doubts that Bloomberg is an arrogant little prick, this report should quash any such sentiment.