Meyer served as United States Attorney for Los Angeles (United States District Court for the Central District of California) from May 18, 1970, until he was forced to resign effective January 1, 1972. One factor in his leaving was his refusal to sign off on the prosecution of Daniel Ellsberg, who had released the Pentagon Papers.Ungar, Sanford J. (August 1973). The Pentagon Papers Trial, The Altantic He claimed he was forced out for being told he was not a "true conservative". Some unnamed sources claimed that he lacked experience in litigation and was abrasive,(16 November 1972). Robert L. Meyer, Ex-U.S. Attorney, The New York Times, p. 50.Former United States Attorneys (Central District of California), justice.gov, Retrieved 17 November 2022(18 December 1971). U.S. Prosecutor on Coast Resigns, The New York Times, p. 21(18 December 1971). Attorney for L.A. Quits Post, San Bernardino Sun-Telegram (Associated Press),p. 14 but others strongly disagreed with these alleged complaints.(26 November 1972). Robert L. Meyers (letters to editor positive about Meyer, Los Angeles Times Differences in philosophy were apparent during his tenure, however. Meyer had gained great disfavor with Republicans for prosecuting Los Angeles police officers, including for a botched raid in 1970 that led to the deaths of undocumented Mexicans, although that prosecution ended in an acquittal.Burnham, David. Above the Law, p. 61-64 (2015) Meyer also investigated police conduct concerning the death of journalist Ruben Salazar in 1970. Meyer reported that he was directed to resign in November 1971 by L. Patrick Gray, a U.S. Assistant Attorney General, on the orders of Attorney General John N. Mitchell.
