Birotte was appointed to the United States Attorney's office by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate in February 2010.[7] He was sworn in on March 4, 2010.[1] Judge Terry J. Hatter, Jr. administered the oath.[8] Birotte was the first African-American United States attorney for the Central District.[9] He supervised an office of 275 prosecutors.[9][6]
Major cases
Birotte was the United States attorney investigating charges against former cyclist Lance Armstrong for defrauding of the government, drug trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy. He dismissed the case without comment on February 3, 2012. Armstrong reacted to the decision by stating "I am gratified to learn that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is closing its investigation. It is the right decision and I commend them for reaching it."[10] The federal investigation had been ongoing for two years prior to its dismissal by Birotte. On February 5, 2013, Birotte stated that Armstrong's subsequent admission that he took drugs was no reason to reopen the original investigation.[11]
Birotte served as a judge pro tem for the Los Angeles Superior Court. He is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Judicial Appointments Committee and Criminal Justice Executive Committee. He has taught legal writing and advocacy at the University of Southern California Law School.[1] Earlier in his career, he served as a deputy public defender in Los Angeles and as the inspector general of the Los Angeles Police Department.[19] He served on the board of directors of the Langston Bar Association from 1992 to 2003.[1][6]
^Woodrow, Stephanie (January 15, 2010). "Meet Andre Birotte Jr". Main Justice. Archived from the original on February 6, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
