PROGRAM # 399 & 400
GUEST: Debra Yang
TITLE: U.S. Attorney

Taped 6-09-04

U.S. Attorney Debra Yang describes the public justice system as "doing the right thing for the public, encapsulating what issues are facing the public." She describes the responsibilities of the U.S. Attorney’s office and how President Bush appointed her to the powerful position. She explains the difference between her position and that of District Attorney; "because I am not elected to this position, so I don't have to go out and raise monies and ask the community to do things for me... I am accountable to the public to do justice but I don't ever have to ask them for something else. Also, "I have tremendous amount of discretion that's given to me in this particular position, over what kinds of crimes to address, what kinds of cases to bring and the like".

TERRORISM, PUBLIC CORRUPTON & THE U. S. ATTORNEY
Taped 6-09-04

Debra Yang, U. S. Attorney for the Los Angeles region commented on how the war on terror has changed the priorities of the U. S. Attorney's Office from prosecution to prevention. "Our goal is to disrupt and dismantle, our goal is not to have the crime actually occur." She described the 80 arrests made at LAX for individuals who obtained security positions using false IDs and falsified employment applications and those who had criminal records and were in the country illegally. As for public corruption in the contract bidding process, Yang said that cannot be tolerated, "because the minute you let a little bit of that happen then everybody else thinks it is OK." She said, "you have to have absolute open air policy with the bidding."