U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst stepping down as Trump presidency comes to an end

U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst announced his resignation Thursday as the Donald Trump presidency comes to an end. 

Hurst, who has headed up the Southern District of Mississippi since October of 2017, said he submitted his resignation to the president and Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. 

He will leave office on Jan. 19, one day before President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated and takes office as the new president.  

Hurst, an appointee of Trump, made the announcement after a majority of Congress voted to certify the election of Biden, a Democrat, late into the night Wednesday. 

He wasn't immediately available for comment Thursday. According to the release, Hurst plans to join a law firm in Jackson.

“Serving as the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for over half of our state has been the highest honor of my professional career," Hurst said in a news release. 

"During my time as U.S. Attorney, I have tried to do everything within my power to make our neighborhoods safer, support our law enforcement, engage and empower our communities and citizens, protect victims, prevent and reduce crime, and uphold our constitutional rights," he said.

Ponzi scheme, immigration raids, Project EJECT

Hurst during his tenure has been behind several high level federal prosecutions in Mississippi.  

Hurst's office in 2018 prosecuted Arthur Lamar Adams who managed the largest Ponzi scheme in Mississippi history. Adams was sentenced to almost 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud involving more than $164 million in stolen money from over 320 investors.

A year later, he headed up the prosecution of over a hundred undocumented workers, as well as several chicken plant supervisors, following the largest single-state immigration raid in U.S. history.  

As U.S. Attorney, he also brought in several Department of Justice programs to the state with the goal of reducing violent crime, particularly in Jackson. He helped to spearhead a crime prevention program called Project EJECT which expanded from the capital city to Hattiesburg, Natchez, Meridian, Moss Point and Gulfport. 

Hurst and the DOJ have touted the success of the program, however, EJECT has been criticized in some quarters as being ineffective and for "targeting poor people." 

In September, Hurst's office announced a $6 million program to combat domestic violence called “Operation Pheonecia." The program was named in honor of a victim of domestic violence and comes as cases have increased due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Several Republican leaders — including Gov. Tate Reeves — and law enforcement organizations praised Hurst for his work in the release. 

"Mike Hurst is the ultimate public servant," Reeves said. "He has routinely taken on tough fights in order to preserve the rule of law – because he believes in it." 

Sen. Roger Wicker said Hurst has served "with honor and distinction" and Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith praised him for his "special focus on fighting human trafficking and illegal drug trafficking." 

"His criminal prosecution of the worst in Mississippi should be commended and our communities are safer because of his efforts," said John Neal, Ridgeland Police Department chief and president of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police. 

U.S. Attorney rebukes JPD:Jackson police announce violent crime crackdown — against advice of US attorney

Hurst, Jackson mayor often at odds

In Jackson, Hurst has had an often contentious relationship with Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and some city officials— including city judges, who he says aren't doing enough to tackle crime. 

He has also been vocal about his belief the city needed to do a better job of hiring and retaining police officers. 

Hurst in a Clarion-Ledger editorial cited a previous study by the city of Jackson that concluded the city would need about 600 officers to effectively battle crime. The department is well short of that number with just over 300 officers, although it is budgeted for about 400. 

"If Mike is aware of a magic pot of money, we'd love to know about it," Lumumba said in response.  

Another argument between the two stems from Hurst's efforts to bring in another federal program to the capital city called Operation Legend. Despite receiving the blessing from some council members, Hurst and the mayor both accused the other of playing politics and an agreement between the two was never forged.  

Hurst goes after Jackson officials:U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst blasts judges, politicians in violent crime crackdown in Jackson

On another occasion, Hurst slammed Lumumba for the mayor's short-lived executive order that attempted to ban the open carry of firearms in Jackson. 

"I have not seen a single case where a killing in Jackson could have been prevented if open carry rights had been revoked," Hurst wrote. "The mayor’s illegal order will only disarm law-abiding citizens and result in more victims." 

"I've never seen a U.S. attorney more concerned with what a mayor is doing," Lumumba has said. 

Contact Justin Vicory at 769-572-1418 or jvicory@gannett.com. Follow @justinvicory on Twitter.