He was fired by the White House right after being sworn in. Now a top federal prosecutor is suing
WASHINGTON (AP) — Top federal prosecutor in Seattle He was fired less than an hour after he was sworn in last week A lawsuit was filed Tuesday over her firing, launching a legal challenge against the Trump administration. efforts to establish their own chosen ones He is in powerful positions in the Ministry of Justice.
Roger Rogoff is the last of a series Judicially appointed US attorneys to be fired by Trump administration He was suspended from his duties but is believed to be the first person to file a lawsuit for removal from this group. His action creates a case that will test the Justice Department’s authority to appoint and fire prosecutors.
Rogoff was unanimously appointed to the post of U.S. attorney in Western Washington by federal judges in the district. But shortly after he was sworn in last Wednesday, he received an email from the Trump administration informing him that he had ordered the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
The lawsuit argues that the sudden firing was unconstitutional and ignored the district judges’ authority to appoint Rogoff until the vacancy was filled through a Senate-confirmed candidate.
“The President’s actions violate the law and ignore the protections of the U.S. Constitution. His removal of me, like his removal of other court-appointed U.S. attorneys across the country, is illegal and intolerable,” Rogoff said in a statement issued through the law firm that represents him.
U.S. attorneys are usually nominated by the president
U.S. attorneys, the top federal prosecutors who oversee regional Justice Department outposts across the country, are typically nominated by the president and then confirmed by the Senate. In the event of a vacancy, attorneys general have the authority to designate an interim U.S. attorney who can serve for 120 days. When interim appointments expire before a nominee is confirmed, judges in the jurisdiction can appoint a U.S. attorney, as in the Rogoff case.
But under Trump, the Justice Department has sought to keep unapproved prosecutors in their positions indefinitely or moved to dismiss court-appointed prosecutors.
“The district court did not coordinate with the Department of Justice on this selection. Consistent with other such dismissals, this is entirely within the President’s authority,” the Justice Department said in a statement Tuesday.
Even before Rogoff was fired, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signaled his intention to fire the justices’ pick, stating they did not have the president’s support, according to case notes.
Hours after being fired, Blanche posted: “District court judges can appoint an interim US Attorney and POTUS can fire them.” He said judges from the state’s western district “abandoned the traditional consultation process with the administration to ensure that the elected U.S. Attorney is eligible to serve in the administration.” Roger Rogoff was fired by the President.”
This is a district without a Senate-confirmed US attorney since 2023
Rogoff’s district has not had a Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney since 2023. Rogoff asked the federal panel to consider his name last January after the justices signaled they intended to fill the vacancy left at the end of the 120-day term of Charles Neil Floyd, who was appointed to the post by Attorney General Pam Bondi last year.
Other jurisdictions where there has been conflict between the judiciary and the administration over prosecutorial authority include New Jersey, where Trump’s former personal lawyer is based. Alina Habbah, he resigned After the appeals court in December He said that he was working illegally in this position..
Lindsey Halligan, another of Trump’s personal attorneys appointed by the administration, left his post as acting US attorney in Virginia after a while. judge concluded his appointment was illegal and the indictments he brought against New York Attorney General Letitia James And former FBI Director James Comey should be dismissed.
