John Sarcone III, Republican candidate for New York Attorney General. (Photo: Justice Department release)
The Attorney Grievance Committee of the Third Judicial Department of New York sent a formal statement saying that one of President Donald Trump's Justice Department attorneys has officially been found to have crossed a line.
"After deliberation, the Committee determined there was a sufficient basis for a finding of professional misconduct and took appropriate action. With this action the matter is concluded," the statement said about John A. Sarcone III, who was serving as the Justice Department's Interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York.
According to the statement, it was related to a complaint filed by the Campaign for Accountability (CfA) in Aug. 2025. The group is both nonpartisan and a nonprofit watchdog.
The complaint alleged that Sarcone's behavior violated several rules that all lawyers in the state are required to follow. It includes making false claims about the severity of an incident that involved "a man's arrest under improperly heightened charges, as well as apparently deceptive statements Mr. Sarcone made about the nature of his residence, and subsequent retaliation he took against the media for reporting on these facts," the statement in August read.
“Over the last four months since he was sworn in as Interim U.S. Attorney, Mr. Sarcone has behaved erratically and potentially illegally. His actions raise questions not only about his suitability for the current office in which he serves, but about his fitness as a lawyer, period," said CfA Executive Director Michelle Kuppersmith at the time of the filing.
"We regret that we cannot be more specific about the nature of the action taken and in accordance with Judiciary Law §90(10) and Atty. Disc. Rules §1240.18, all papers, records and documents of a disciplinary investigation and proceeding are sealed and deemed private and confidential," the Attorney Grievance Committee said in the letter to CfA.
"I assure you that the Committee dealt with your complaint in a fair and unbiased manner, and we thank you for bringing this matter to our attention," the letter added.
In a statement about the complaint, Kuppersmith said, “While we’re pleased the New York Attorney Grievance Committee recognized that Mr. Sarcone, who remains First Assistant in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, engaged in professional misconduct, a secret slap on the wrist is insufficient. Mr. Sarcone’s pattern of conduct reflects on his credibility as an officer of the court, so any court in which he appears — along with the public — deserves to know what he was sanctioned for and why.”
Sarcone was one of the Trump DOJ lawyers who was investigating New York Attorney General Letitia James. He was barred from overseeing the criminal charges in January, the Washington Post reported.
Intrium US Attorneys cannot remain in the post for more than 120 days. However, Sarcone had been overseeing the office since March 2025. U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield ruled that he was unlawfully serving in the role. He had "no legal authority when he subpoenaed James’s office during the summer," the judge decided.
The same issue has caused problems in New Jersey and the Eastern District of Virginia.
The Committee says on its website that it "is committed to protecting the public, maintaining the honor and integrity of the legal profession, and deterring attorneys from committing professional misconduct."
