The Trump Justice Department dismissed the newly appointed US attorney for western Washington state less than an hour after he was sworn in, setting up yet another legal battle over the president’s appointment powers.
Roger Rogoff, a former King County judge and veteran state and federal prosecutor, was sworn in Wednesday morning at the federal courthouse in downtown Seattle after he was unanimously appointed by the district’s federal judges.
Rogoff told the Associated Press in a phone interview that he then went to the federal prosecutor’s office to request a meeting with first assistant US Attorney Charles Neil Floyd, who had served as interim US attorney for a 120-day period that ended in February.
While waiting, Rogoff said, he received an email informing him of his removal by President Trump.
“District court judges can appoint a temporary U.S. Attorney, and POTUS can fire them,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche posted on X Wednesday evening. “WDWA judges abandoned the time-honored process of consultation with the administration so that the selected U.S. Attorney is qualified to serve in the administration. Roger Rogoff has been fired by the President.”
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