The University of Illinois and IGPA has presented the Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government to Robert M. Morgenthau, former longtime district attorney for Manhattan. 

Read Robert Morgenthau's biography.

Listen to Senator Richard Durbin's remarks at the ceremony.

The award was presented on Wednesday, March 24, 2010, at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Christopher G. Kennedy, chairman of the U of I Board of Trustees presented Morgenthau with the Douglas Medallion, which is presented each year to a public servant whose public actions or writings have made a significant contribution to the practice and understanding of ethical behavior in government. The award honors the memory of the late Senator Paul Douglas, who served Illinois for three terms in the U.S. Senate from 1949-1967.

Listen to Chairman Kennedy's remarks.

Listen to Robert Morgenthau's acceptance of the award.

Morgenthau retired in December 2009 at the age of 90 after serving for 35 years as the chief prosecutor in New York County, New York, which encompasses the burrough of Manhattan. He also served as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1961 to 1970.

"Paul Douglas is one of the Americans I most admire," Morgenthau said in accepting the award, "To be associated with him is a singular honor. My staff and I have tried to live to his honor, treating every case without fear or favor."

Morgenthau was chosen to receive the award by a national selection committee for his lifetime of dedication to public service and his legacy of serving the interests of justice fairly. He devoted much of his career to prosecuting cases of white-collar crime, organized crime and public corruption. Additionally, 81 of Morgenthau's former assistants have gone on to become judges, including Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor.