Amtrak cleaned house on Dec. 18, firing five top officials and replacing its general counsel.

In a letter to employees, Amtrak President Alexander Kummant announced that

Alicia Serfaty, the passenger railroad company's current general counsel and corporate secretary, will be replaced in mid-January. The announcement noted that Serfaty will

stay on to assist Kummant as counsel to the president. However, it is undetermined whether the new position is only temporary.

Eleanor Acheson, who served as assistant attorney general for policy development under President Bill Clinton, will replace Serfaty as Amtrak's new GC in mid-January. In the meantime, Joseph Bress, Amtrak's vice president of labor relations, will serve as acting general counsel.

Besides the shake-up in its legal department, Amtrak announced the termination of its CFO, assistant vice president of transportation, police chief, vice president for marketing and sales and vice president of corporate communications.

“While change can be difficult, this reorganization is the result of a great deal of consideration,” Kummant said in a letter announcing the restructuring.

Amtrak has said that the changes in personnel are not a response to the DOJ's investigation into its legal department. Earlier this month, an inspector general's report found that the company mismanaged more than $100 million in legal bills.

Amtrak cleaned house on Dec. 18, firing five top officials and replacing its general counsel.

In a letter to employees, Amtrak President Alexander Kummant announced that

Alicia Serfaty, the passenger railroad company's current general counsel and corporate secretary, will be replaced in mid-January. The announcement noted that Serfaty will

stay on to assist Kummant as counsel to the president. However, it is undetermined whether the new position is only temporary.

Eleanor Acheson, who served as assistant attorney general for policy development under President Bill Clinton, will replace Serfaty as Amtrak's new GC in mid-January. In the meantime, Joseph Bress, Amtrak's vice president of labor relations, will serve as acting general counsel.

Besides the shake-up in its legal department, Amtrak announced the termination of its CFO, assistant vice president of transportation, police chief, vice president for marketing and sales and vice president of corporate communications.

“While change can be difficult, this reorganization is the result of a great deal of consideration,” Kummant said in a letter announcing the restructuring.

Amtrak has said that the changes in personnel are not a response to the DOJ's investigation into its legal department. Earlier this month, an inspector general's report found that the company mismanaged more than $100 million in legal bills.