Ron Machen

After more than five years on the job, D.C.’s U.S. Attorney is stepping down. Ron Machen announced that he’s resigning from his post, effective April 1, in a statement today, with the news that Vincent Cohen (no relation) will become the Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

“After more than five years as United States Attorney, it is time for me to step down,” Machen said. “Serving as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia has been the highest honor of my professional career. I am tremendously grateful to the President, Attorney General Holder, and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton for placing their trust in me. The men and women of this office are among the most dedicated and talented public servants in the country. I am proud of the work we have done together to achieve justice in the courthouse and to build bonds of trust with the community that we serve. I leave this position confident that my extraordinary colleagues will continue to pursue justice and protect the residents of the District and this great nation.”

Of course, Machen’s departure leaves a big question mark in the ongoing investigation of former mayor Vince Gray’s involvement in his 2010 “shadow campaign,” which has defined his tenure as U.S. Attorney. Machen’s investigation into Gray’s alleged involvement in a “shadow campaign” funded by businessman Jeffrey Thompson has lasted years and the chances of an indictment coming before Machen steps down is slim.

But during his tenure, Machen prosecuted many public officials who broke the law, including former Councilmembers Harry Thomas Jr., Kwame Brown, and Michael A. Brown. Brown and Ted Loza, the Chief of Staff to a fourth member of the Council, were prosecuted for accepting cash bribes from individuals seeking favorable treatment from the D.C. government. Thomas Jr. was convicted of stealing $350,000 in taxpayers’ money while Brown was convicted of bank fraud—the first public official in D.C. history to plead guilty to a criminal campaign finance violation.

In addition to his work cracking down on political corruption, Machen’s office obtained more than 375 convictions from murderers and launched a cold case unit to investigate unsolved murders from the ’80s and ’90s—some of the city’s most violent years.

“During more than five years as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, Ron Machen has distinguished himself as a skilled leader, a devoted public servant, and a forceful champion of justice on behalf of the American people,” Attorney General Eric Holder said. “Throughout his remarkable tenure, Ron has applied his boundless talent and consummate judgment to protect the safety and security of all Americans in cases involving violent crime, national security threats, and public corruption.”

Machen says he will return to private practice after April 1.