11072004 - News Article - Van Bokkelen promises 'perfect storm' of more convictions - GOVERNMENT: Top U.S. attorney expected to stay on in Northwest Indiana - ROBERT CANTRELL

Van Bokkelen promises 'perfect storm' of more convictions
GOVERNMENT: Top U.S. attorney expected to stay on in Northwest Indiana
NWI Times
Nov 7, 2004
nwitimes.com/news/local/van-bokkelen-promises-perfect-storm-of-more-convictions/article_1d4d2657-2a8e-5f78-98d8-218608a4f3bc.html
HAMMOND | Not everyone may derive satisfaction from Joseph Van Bokkelen's stewardship as U.S. attorney, but he is.

"As long as I enjoy what I'm doing and I think I'm making a difference, I'm going to continue to do it. And I am enjoying it and I think I am making some sort of difference," he said last week.

Andy Fisher, a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar, also said the 61-year-old Van Bokkelen is likely to remain Northern Indiana's top law enforcement officer. "The expectation is that all our appointees will continue on into President George Bush's second term.

His office has won the conviction and detention of hundreds of criminals and the distinction of being one of the most aggressive in the country in the prosecution of gun violations.

However, the highest job expectations he faced when he began three years ago were in the area of public corruption.

In that time, he has presided over the conviction of 16 elected officials, public figures and politically connected businessmen. Another 13 are either on trial or awaiting trial on a variety of charges of public fraud or its cover-up.

Van Bokkelen recently promised a "perfect storm" of still more indictments, which have turned Fridays -- the day grand juries usually issue corruption charges -- a painful experience for local officials.

Had Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John Kerry won election, Van Bokkelen would have had to resign by year's end and have been replaced by a Democratic appointment. President Bush's re-election Tuesday is likely to dispel any illusions that Van Bokkelen's Operation Restore Public Integrity would be retired.

Former U.S. Attorney Jim Richmond, who served on the search committee that recommended Van Bokkelen, said a change is possible. He said former President Bill Clinton made wholesale changes in U.S. attorney offices across America after his re-election eight years ago. "Then they realized they didn't have anybody who knew what was going on."

Van Bokkelen served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the early 1970s. He was in private practice for 26 years before his appointment.

Northwest Indiana's public figures have been reluctant to comment on the job Van Bokkelen does, fearful of drawing his ire. Richmond, who represents several criminal defendants being prosecuted by Van Bokkelen's office, also declined comment on Van Bokkelen's job performance, but did say, "I think we picked the best candidate."

Fisher said Lugar thinks "Our set of appointees have been serving well in their positions and the expectation is that with the election concluded, they will carry on."