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Rollins served as U.S. attorney until multiple alleged ethics violations brought down her career in 2023.

Former Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins officially confirmed Tuesday that she is running for her old job. 

Rollins, who went on to serve as U.S. attorney before resigning in disgrace in 2023, said in a video posted on social media that she had just turned in her nomination papers. 

Rollins collected 1,606 certified signatures throughout Boston, Chelsea, Winthrop, and Revere, she said. Candidates had until Tuesday to collect at least 1,000 signatures from residents and submit them to the secretary of state. 

“Today it starts,” she said. “We’re going to bring the Suffolk County DA’s office back to the community, we’re going to be open and transparent. No ‘invite only.’”

Alongside Rollins, current Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden and Linda Champion, a former member of Hayden’s leadership team, all cleared the certified signature threshold earlier this month. 

Rollins has been teasing a comeback since early April, when she pulled nomination papers. She launched a podcast with former Celtics captain Dana Barros soon after, which covers local sports topics and other news items. 

Only two episodes have been released. On the second, released in late April, Rollins said that she began to consider running for office again after hearing support from community members. She declined to address her critics and the scandals that forced her resignation only three years ago. 

“When I’m ready to speak publicly, and I am actually a real candidate, I think there’s absolutely a conversation I have to have, but I have apologized to my staff, I have resigned from my job,” she said at the time. “I don’t have anything to say to the haters.”

Two federal watchdog reports were released in 2023 that contained allegations of multiple ethics violations, including that she had meddled in the 2022 election for Suffolk district attorney. Rollins attempted campaign “sabotage” and acted as a “de facto campaign advisor” to Hayden’s rival, the investigators alleged. Rollins resigned soon afterward. 

As Suffolk district attorney, Rollins implemented a divisive policy of not prosecuting certain low-level crimes, such as shoplifting. She was nominated to become the U.S. attorney for Massachusetts by President Joe Biden in 2021. 

In her brief social media video this week, Rollins did not offer many details on what policies she would pursue this time around.   

“We’re going to continue innovating, because that’s what justice requires,” she said. “Maintenance is not good enough, and neither is the status quo.”