Jason Williams (politician) explained

Jason Williams
Office:District Attorney of New Orleans
Term Start:January 11, 2021
Predecessor:Leon Cannizzaro
Office1:Member of the New Orleans City Council
from the at-large district
Term Start1:March 15, 2014
Term End1:January 11, 2021
Predecessor1:Jackie Clarkson
Successor1:Donna Glapion
Birth Name:Jason Rogers Williams
Birth Date:2 November 1972
Birth Place:New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Spouse:Elizabeth Marcell
Children:3
Education:Tulane University (BA, JD)

Jason Rogers Williams (born November 2, 1972) is an American politician and attorney who is the Orleans Parish district attorney; he assumed office in 2021. From 2014 to 2021, Williams served as the Second Division Councilmember-at-large on the New Orleans City Council. He is a member of the Democratic Party, and was elected district attorney on a progressive platform.

Williams was charged with multiple counts of federal tax fraud. In 2022, he was acquitted of all charges.

Early life and education

Williams was born and spent his adolescence in New Orleans.[1] He graduated from Woodward Academy, in College Park, Georgia, and attended Tulane University on a football scholarship, where he was elected class president 4 times. Additionally, he attended Tulane Law School, where he was elected class president 2 times.

Early career

Shortly after graduating from Tulane Law School, Williams started his own law firm, Jason Rogers Williams & Associates, which he continues to manage. Williams has 3 children.[2] In 2003, he was appointed Pro Tempore at Criminal District Court by the Louisiana Supreme Court.

New Orleans City Council

Williams is a member of the Democratic Party.[3]

He served as the At-large Division 2 member of the New Orleans City Council from his swearing in on March 15, 2014[4] [5] until his resignation on January 11, 2021, to assume his position as district attorney. The seat would remain vacant until January 28, 2021, when Donna Glapion was chosen to fill his seat.[6] [7] Williams served as president of the council.[8]

District Attorney of New Orleans

In 2018, Williams announced he would be a candidate in the 2020 Orleans Parish district attorney election.[9] Williams campaigned on massive reforms to the district attorney's office, which has been plagued with allegations of prosecutorial overreach.

His campaign was characterized as progressive and part of a movement of progressive reforms in district attorney positions around the United States.[10] His policies are in stark contrast to those of his predecessor, Leon Cannizzaro, who held a more traditional "tough on crime" approach as district attorney.

Williams would go on to defeat his opponent Keva Landrum on the December 5th election and assumed office January 11, 2021.[11] [12] [13]

Following backlash from a sharp rise in 701 release cases[14] and an increase in related crimes such as car jackings,[15] public calls for Williams resignation have been made.[16] Williams did not step down, but called a press conference to address “701 releases,” an article in State Criminal Court that gives defendants the right to a speedy trial.[17]

In 2021, Williams backed out of his campaign promise to not charge minors as adults, despite promising to never do so.[18] [19]

In 2023, Williams' office invoked the multiple bill for the first time, despite his campaign promise never to do so. [20] [21] [22]

Williams endorsed police monitor Susan Hutson for sheriff, against longtime sheriff Marlin Gusman, in 2022.[23] Hutson, a progressive, won.[24]

Williams criticized Dobbs, a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.[25] He indicated his office would not prosecute abortion providers.[26] [27]

Tax fraud charges

In June 2020, during his campaign for district attorney, Williams was charged with 11 counts of federal tax fraud.[28] Williams claimed he was innocent. His trial was set by U.S. District Court Judge Martin Feldman for January 2022,[29] but it was delayed due to an appeal made to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.[30] At trial in July 2022, a jury acquitted Williams of all charges.[31]

Election history

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Meet Jason Willilams . Jason Williams District Attorney 2020 . 17 October 2021 . en.
  2. Web site: Jason Williams City Council At Large . Jason Williams City Council At Large.
  3. Web site: Jason Williams (Louisiana) . Ballotpedia . 29 July 2022 . en.
  4. Web site: Bio. council.nola.gov.
  5. Web site: Jason Williams . Ballotpedia . en.
  6. Web site: Stein . Michael Isaac . What's next for DA-elect Williams' City Council seat? . The Lens . 15 February 2021 . 7 January 2021.
  7. Web site: MEET THE COUNCIL AT-LARGE DONNA GLAPION. council.nola.gov. 15 February 2021.
  8. Web site: JOHN SIMERMAN . GORDON RUSSELL . 'You come at the king, you best not miss': Jason Williams' acquittal is rare whiff for feds . NOLA.com . 29 July 2022 . en.
  9. Web site: SIMERMAN . JOHN . New Orleans council president Jason Williams 'absolutely' running for DA in 2020, he says . NOLA.com . 26 November 2019 . en.
  10. Web site: In Nation's Incarceration Capital, A New DA Is Freeing People From Prison. Katie Jane Fernelius. April 21, 2021. The Appeal. 2021-10-15.
  11. Web site: Jason Williams wins New Orleans DA race, promising new era in prosecutor's office . 10 December 2020.
  12. Web site: Vidal . Olivia . District Attorney-elect Jason Williams speaks after winning election . www.fox8live.com . 10 December 2020.
  13. Web site: Jason Williams (Louisiana) . Ballotpedia . 10 December 2020 . en.
  14. Web site: Release of nearly 150 ordered from N.O. Jail since last January after charges not filed in time. 4 February 2022.
  15. Web site: Carjackings almost triple in New Orleans compared to this time last year.
  16. Web site: Petition calls for the resignation of Orleans DA Jason Williams. 12 February 2022.
  17. Web site: 'We are owning it': Major leadership shake up at DA's office, apology for handling of 701 cases.
  18. https://www.nola.com/news/courts/why-jason-williams-move-to-charge-juveniles-as-adults-in-killing-is-angering-some-groups/article_2d3a0a80-c006-11eb-931b-4b8558969269.amp.html
  19. https://www.nola.com/news/courts/jason-williams-invokes-multiple-bill-statute-for-first-time/article_95636bb8-c36c-11ed-a8c4-17f729f44e4b.amp.html
  20. https://thelensnola.org/2021/02/05/jason-williams-has-vowed-never-to-use-the-habitual-offender-statute-what-does-that-mean-for-criminal-justice-in-new-orleans/
  21. https://www.wdsu.com/article/orleans-da-invokes-habitual-offender-law-applies-it-to-1st-case-orlando-brown-violent/43341116
  22. Web site: Sheriff candidate Susan Hutson gets key endorsement from New Orleans DA Jason Williams. 18 April 2024. WWNO.
  23. Web site: Susan Hutson defeats long-time Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman . 12 April 2024. WWL.
  24. Web site: Vidal . Olivia . DA Jason Williams says he won’t investigate abortion cases, other city leaders react to SCOTUS decision to overturn Roe v. Wade . fox8live.com . 29 July 2022 . en.
  25. Web site: Staff report . New Orleans DA Jason Williams says he won't 'shift priorities' to prosecute abortion-related cases . NOLA.com . 29 July 2022 . en.
  26. Web site: Kyla Guilfoil . July 26, 2022 . City leaders push for abortion access despite state bans . ABC News . 29 July 2022 . en.
  27. Web site: JOHN SIMERMAN . As Jason Williams' tax trial looms, specter of conviction hangs over Orleans Parish DA race . 10 December 2020 . NOLA.com . en.
  28. News: John Simerman . July 21, 2021 . Tax fraud trial for New Orleans DA Jason Williams delayed until 2022 . . 2021-10-05.
  29. Web site: Team . WDSU Digital . 21 January 2022 . Trial for Orleans Parish DA Jason Williams delayed . 25 January 2022 . WDSU . en.
  30. Web site: July 28, 2022 . Not Guilty: Jury clears DA Jason Williams on all counts in tax fraud trial . 29 July 2022 . wwltv.com.