There are exceptions to everything.

For reporters, that mostly involves revealing your personal biases, good or bad. That’s why it was so uncommon to witness some 200 journalists standing in a celebratory cheer for U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, the keynote speaker at the 2016 New York Press Association spring convention.

The Norwood News stood with them, joining in several applauses, including a long ovation for Mr. Bharara at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs. Indeed, it’s largely his relentless assault against the culture of corruption long linked to the Albany Legislature that’s earned him rock star status among New York’s press crowd. Mr. Bharara playfully hinted more cases to come.

For the U.S. Attorney, setting his sights on Albany is not a matter of settling a score, but rather having lawmakers do right by the people who voted them into office. It was certainly humbling to hear his words laced with the kind of honesty and hope that made it refreshing.

He couldn’t take all the credit. Once a news anchor and producer for WHRB News at Harvard University, he tipped his hat to journalists “keeping the wolves at bay,” a goal shared by prosecutors. After all, the two professions go hand in hand.

“The secret is we don’t know where all the bad things are,” said Mr. Bharara. “We don’t know who all the bad guys are, we don’t know where all the fraud is happening, we don’t know where all the corruption is happening; and it turns out that often is the case that you folks are much better at figuring that out than the feds are, and often is the case that you folks are much better getting folks to talk to you than the feds are.”

A Bronx resident’s life is not far removed from Mr. Bharara’s work. Over the last seven years, his office has stormed Bronx streets to apprehend a swell of gangs that have dealt poison to young people, setting neighborhoods back for years.

So you should consider writing a letter to thank him, and the staff that’s spent hours shining a light on matters that certain groups, be it some lawmakers who think their questionable tactics are business as usual or shady gangsters prepping for their next score, would want to keep in the dark.

Mr. Bharara embodies the traits we want in an elected official: Someone who will always be looking out for you. There was talk he would consider a run for elected office. We feel he’s most effective where he is now.