US Attorney Garrison submits resignation

Tim Garrison, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri, handed in his resignation to President Joe Biden.

His resignation letter sent to Biden yesterday indicated the move was "at your direction,” meaning he was asked to step down. He's slated to exit on Feb. 28, according to a news release.

"It has been the privilege of my career to lead the office where I began my service as a federal prosecutor 14 years ago," Garrison said in the letter. "I will use the remainder of my tenure to prepare a smooth and successful transition for your nominee, who will inherit one of the finest offices in the country."

Garrison was approved by the U.S. Senate in April 2018, three months after then Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed him, according to past reporting. Working out of the U.S. attorney’s Springfield office in Hammons Tower on a weekly basis, he oversees a staff of around 130. That includes around 65 assistant U.S. attorneys covering 66 counties.

The Biden administration has moved this month to remove nearly all of the remaining federal prosecutors appointed by the Trump administration, according to a Feb. 9 release from the Department of Justice.

Garrison in 2018 took over for Tom Larson, former acting U.S. attorney. Larson stepped in for Tammy Dickinson, who was asked to resign in 2017, according to past reporting. Dickinson was appointed during the Obama administration.

Garrison brought 10 years of experience as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District to the top post. He previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

During his tenure, Garrison's office prosecuted tax evasion, interstate and international drug trafficking, sex crimes and illegal immigration, among other litigation, according to the release.

“Western Missouri is consistently a national leader among the 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices in combatting violent crime, child exploitation and drug trafficking,” Garrison said in the release. “I am particularly gratified by our work in Operation LeGend, in which we arrested more than 500 violent criminals in and around Kansas City and took hundreds of illegal firearms out of their hands, serving as a catalyst for similar state and federal collaboration in eight other American cities.”

Don Ledford, spokesperson for Garrison's office, cited DOJ policy in declining to comment on who would replace him as acting U.S. attorney or potential presidential nominees.

"It is normal for a new president to appoint new U.S. attorneys in each federal district," Ledford said via email. "This was expected and did not come as a surprise."

Ledford also declined to comment on Garrison's future career plans.

In December, Abe McGull retired as assistant U.S. attorney after 21 years and transitioned into private practice in January.