Stanley Woodward’s DOJ Role Raises Questions About Corporate Criminal Cases

A speech to Justice officials

The Justice Department spokesperson did not dispute the account of the remarks or that a White House call interrupted the speech. The account of Woodward’s tenure draws on interviews with nearly two dozen people, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations or cases.

Questions over corporate prosecutions

People familiar with the cases say Woodward has intervened in pending criminal matters involving companies pursued by divisions he oversees. They say he has sometimes steered those matters against prosecutors’ recommendations and the views of other political appointees.

One person familiar with his views said Woodward had asked prosecutors to justify bringing cases against companies in multiple situations. Other sources said he has requested memos explaining legal principles of corporate prosecution, including the distinction between the per se rule and the rule of reason.

Comments in case meetings

Several people said Woodward has remarked in meetings that “you can’t put a company in jail” or that there is “no jail big enough for a corporation.” One person who said they had heard such comments recalled that he showed disdain toward corporate cases. Some prosecutors interpreted requests for basic legal explanations as evidence of limited experience in corporate criminal work. The article’s account also describes an alleged Illinois mining company case involving a 2021 fire and a separate blaze reportedly not disclosed to regulators as recently as this year.

Legal background and defenders

Woodward worked at Akin Gump from 2010 to 2020, primarily on civil matters. In 2020, he and former House general counsel Stan Brand started a law firm; Woodward later represented criminal defendants in President Trump’s orbit, including Walt Nauta and Peter Navarro, and Kelly Meggs of the Oath Keepers.

People defending Woodward describe him as smart, engaged and willing to take the pressures of leadership. One person familiar with his defense work said judges liked him because he was capable and followed the rules.