Nation : U.S. Attorney in Boston Resigns From Post After Series of Scandals

Embattled U.S. Atty. Frank McNamara resigned today, saying the work of federal prosecutors is “too important” to be disrupted by the controversy surrounding him.

McNamara, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, came under fire over allegations that he had lied when he reported seeing his predecessor, William Weld, smoke marijuana. McNamara, the subject of a Justice Department investigation, later acknowledged that he himself had smoked marijuana. Additional investigations questioned whether McNamara used his office as a political tool. In November, several assistant prosecutors said McNamara pursued an investigation of a prison land deal by the administration of Gov. Michael S. Dukakis in an attempt to discredit Dukakis, then the Democratic nominee for President.