[V]ermont’s United States attorney will step down next week.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont Eric Miller will resign on Feb. 10, according to an announcement from his office Friday.
Miller was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2015 and was confirmed unanimously by the Senate. He took office in June 2015. He did not cite a reason for his resignation, and refused to elaborate on the news release when reached by phone.
In December, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., urged President-elect Donald Trump to retain Miller.
It is the prerogative of the presidential administration to appoint U.S. attorneys, subject to Senate approval. Miller’s successor will be appointed by President Donald Trump.
In a statement, Miller said holding the job has been “the highest honor” of his career.
Leahy, who recommended Miller for the position, lauded the outgoing prosecutor in a statement Friday.
Leahy praised Miller for coordinating federal, state and local law enforcement resources to fight the opiate and heroin epidemic, and lauded his record on civil rights.
“Time and again, his thoughtful approach and calm demeanor have shown why he is so highly regarded in Vermont’s legal and law enforcement communities,” Leahy said.
Gov. Phil Scott thanked Miller in a statement for his commitment “to protecting the rights of Vermonters throughout his career” and for his working helping to address “the opiate epidemic.”
Reflecting on his departure, Miller quoted former Deputy U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates: “Although much of our most important work involves prosecuting people who break the law, we are not just the Department of Prosecutors, or even the Department of Public safety. We are the Department of Justice.”
Yates served as acting attorney general until Monday, when she was fired by Trump after telling the Department of Justice not to enforce the president’s order barring travel from seven Muslim majority countries.
In the release, Islam Hassan, imam of the Islamic Society of Vermont, said Miller and others in the office have “worked to build bridges” with the society. “They have become familiar faces at our mosque, and we deeply appreciate their commitment to building relationships with our community,” he said.
Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras also praised Miller, citing his work on drug enforcement and his support for the plan to resettle Syrian refugees in Rutland.
Scott says he will work with the Vermont congressional delegation to find a “fully qualified Vermonter” to serve as the next U.S. Attorney.
Miller did not say what his future plans are.
