Senators Durbin, Duckworth call for U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros to resign after "Broadview Six" misconduct accusations

Illinois senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are calling for Chicago U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros to resign after allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in the now-dismissed "Broadview Six" case came to light.

"Andrew Boutros's time as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois has been riddled with chaos, deep internal dysfunction, and alleged misconduct," the senators said in a joint statement Tuesday afternoon. "He must resign, and there must be an open, transparent, and nonpartisan search to nominate the next U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois."

Boutros made a rare personal appearance in court to dismiss the charges against the remaining "Broadview Six" defendants in late May, saying there was improper handling of grand jury proceedings by the lead prosecutor in the case. It subsequently emerged that the unredacted grand jury transcript revealed allegations of serious prosecutorial misconduct, including vouching, a meeting between a prosecutor and a juror outside proceedings, and jurors who disagreed with the case being dismissed and prevented from participating.

Boutros did not dispute the allegations. He told the court the conduct was upsetting and the reason the case was being dismissed, but also told Judge April Perry he believed "no one acted with the intent to mislead your honor, and I think that they were following your order to give the law."

Following the dismissal, Boutros announced "sweeping internal reforms" to his office's grand jury practices, though his office didn't provide specifics. In a news release, the U.S. Attorney's Office they took effect on May 26.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Mecklenburg, who was the lead prosecutor for the "Broadview Six" grand jury proceedings, left the case in February to take an assignment to represent the Department of Justice as counsel for the Senate Judiciary Committee. Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the committee, confirmed she had been terminated the day after the "Broadview Six" charges were dismissed.

CBS News Chicago has reached out to Boutros' office about the call for his resignation, and are waiting to hear back. 

Capitol News Illinois and the Associated Press contributed to this report.