U.S. Attorney Charged With Slapping His Mother

ROCHESTER, MI — Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bullotta is facing a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence in 52nd District Court in Rochester. The charge stems from an April 9 incident in his Oakland Township home in which police allege that he slapped his 78-year-old mother during an argument and pushed her to the ground.

Bullotta is schedule for a preliminary examination at district court on July 7. He has pleaded not guilty and is free on personal bond. Bullotta, who helped prosecute former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, denies that he hit his mother, the Detroit Free Press reported.

"My mom has been my best friend my entire life. It was an honor to have her live with me while she was recovering from leukemia and again more recently, when she had nowhere to go," Bullotta told the newspaper. "Family is everything, but can also be very challenging. In this matter, I know I will be exonerated. Love of family and justice will prevail."

Bullotta was arraigned April 12 on one count of domestic violence. He had a pre-trial meeting at the Rochester district court earlier this week.

The incident allegedly happened after Bullotta’s mother harassed one of his sons about his dad's African-American girlfriend, the Free Press reported. Bullotta told authorities that when he tried to intervene, his mother pretended to fall and then accused him of hitting her when he helped her up, the newspaper reported.

Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Bullotta’s home. Undersheriff Michael McCabe said Bullotta was gone when deputies arrived, the Free Press reported. He said deputies later interviewed Bullotta and turned over their findings to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, which issued a warrant. He was not arrested, the newspaper reported.

The charge has not affected Bullotta’s work status with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “We have faith that the system will produce a just outcome. In the meantime, we have the utmost confidence in Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bullotta’s ability to carry out the important work of the office.”

This is not the first time Bullotta has been accused by a family member, the Free Press reported. In 2013, Bullotta’s then wife, Laura, sought a personal protection order against her husband, but Oakland County Circuit Judge Joan Young denied the request for “insufficient allegations.”

As for the current charge, Bullotta’s attorney, Pamella Szydlak, called the charge unfounded. “Michael Bullotta has an unassailable track record as a federal prosecutor for protecting the Detroit metropolitan community from violent crimes and corrupt politicians at the highest level," Szydlak said in a statement. "It is truly unfortunate that Michael’s continual willingness to provide care for his elderly mother has resulted in an unfounded misdemeanor charge.”

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