McGregor W. Scott

McGregor William "Greg" Scott (born 1962) is an American lawyer and partner at the King & Spalding law firm. He served as the United States attorney for the Eastern District of California from 2017 to 2021. He was sworn in as a court-appointed U.S. attorney on December 29, 2017, after previously serving in the position from 2003 to 2009 during the George W. Bush Administration. Prior to assuming his current role, Scott was a partner in the Sacramento office of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, where his practice focused on white collar criminal defense and corporate investigations. In 2008, he retired from the United States Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel after 23 years of service.[4]

McGregor W. Scott
Fraud Special Counsel for the
Cal OES and EDD
Assumed office
July 20, 2021
Appointed byGavin Newsom
Preceded byPosition established
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California
In office
December 29, 2017 – February 28, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byPhillip Talbert
Succeeded byPhillip Talbert
In office
2003–2009
PresidentGeorge W. Bush
Preceded byPaul L. Seave[1]
Succeeded byBenjamin B. Wagner[2]
District Attorney of Shasta County
In office
1997–2003
Preceded byDennis J. Sheehy[3]
Succeeded byGerald C. Benito
Personal details
Born
McGregor William Scott

1962 (age 60–61)
Mountain View, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJennifer
Children3
EducationSanta Clara University (BA)
University of California, Hastings College of the Law (JD)

Education and early career

Scott received a Bachelor of Arts from Santa Clara University and a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. He served as deputy district attorney in Contra Costa County from 1989 to 1997 and the elected Shasta County District Attorney from 1997 to 2003.[4] As district attorney for Shasta County, Scott oversaw the prosecution of brothers Benjamin Matthew Williams and James Tyler Williams, who murdered a gay couple in Redding and set fire to three synagogues and an abortion clinic.[5]

Career

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe

In a trade secrets misappropriation case, Scott won a $52.9 million jury verdict against Patriot Rail Company on behalf of his client, Sierra Railroad. He worked pro bono for Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was kidnapped in 1991 and rescued from her captor in 2009.[6]

U.S. attorney

In November 2017, Scott was appointed by President Donald Trump to a four-year term as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California. He was confirmed by a voice vote by the United States Senate on March 7, 2018.[7] During his previous tenure, Scott's office prosecuted a number of mortgage fraud cases during the financial crisis of 2008, won a $102 million settlement with Union Pacific Railroad over allegations that railroad workers sparked a large wildfire, and prosecuted Hamid and Umer Hayat for allegedly providing material support for terrorism and lying about it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.[6] At the time of the $102 million settlement with Union Pacific Railroad, it was the largest civil settlement in the district's history. He subsequently encouraged the United States Department of Justice to create a program to pursue damages against companies that start fires that damage federal forests. Scott also served on an advisory committee that offered counsel to United States Attorneys General John Ashcroft and Alberto Gonzales.[5]

The editorial board of The Sacramento Bee endorsed Scott's most recent nomination to become U.S. attorney, writing "Trump could not have found a more qualified chief federal prosecutor for the sprawling district."[8]

On February 8, 2021, he along with 55 other Trump-era United States attorneys were asked to resign.[9] On February 10, 2021, Scott announced his resignation, effective February 28.[10]

King & Spalding

In June 2021, Scott joined international law firm King & Spalding as a partner working out of the Sacramento and San Francisco offices.[11]

Fraud special counsel

On July 20, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom, the Employment Development Department (EDD) and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services Fraud Task Force appointed Scott as "fraud special counsel" to investigate unemployment fraud against the EDD during the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]

References
  1. "PN381 - Nomination of McGregor William Scott for Department of Justice, 108th Congress (2003-2004) | Congress.gov | Library of Congress". Congress.gov. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  2. "PN883 - Nomination of Benjamin B. Wagner for Department of Justice, 111th Congress (2009-2010) | Congress.gov | Library of Congress". Congress.gov. October 22, 2009. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  3. https://www.co.shasta.ca.us/docs/libraries/district-attorney-docs/docs/DA_History.pdf
  4. Wire, Sarah D. (November 1, 2017). "Trump nominates U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  5. Stanton, Sam (November 1, 2017). "Trump nominates Scott to return as U.S. attorney for state's Eastern District". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  6. Miller, Cheryl (November 1, 2017). "Orrick Partner McGregor Scott Gets Second Nod for US Attorney Post". The Recorder. Law.com. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  7. "PN1211 — McGregor W. Scott — Department of Justice". Congress.gov. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  8. "In bringing McGregor Scott back as U.S. attorney in California, Trump did something right". Sacramento Bee. November 13, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  9. Balsamo, Michael (February 9, 2021). "Justice Dept. seeks resignations of Trump-era US attorneys". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  10. "United States Attorney McGregor Scott to Resign after Serving as Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for the Eastern District of California" (Press release). Sacramento, California: United States Attorney's Office. February 10, 2021.
  11. "Former Sacramento-based U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott enters into private practice". Sacramento Business Journal. June 18, 2021.
  12. "California appoints special counsel for unemployment fraud". Associated Press. July 20, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
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