Trump fires Washington US Attorney hour after appointment

SEATTLE - President Donald Trump fired a newly appointed federal prosecutor in Seattle less than an hour after he was named to the position.

What we know:

Former King County judge Roger Rogoff was assigned to take over as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington on Wednesday. The seat has remained empty since Charles Neil Floyd was appointed as First Assistant U.S. Attorney back in February, though he kept running the office as western Washington's U.S. District Attorney.

Rogoff was named to the position by Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo, but soon after the judicial order was posted, the White House blocked the move and fired Rogoff.

The backstory:

The Trump administration made similar moves in the firings of two other U.S. attorneys — Donal Kinsella of New York and Desiree Grace of New Jersey — the same day they were sworn in. Both were set to replace Trump-appointed interim judges, but were fired shortly after getting the job.

Local perspective:

Western Washington is not a typical case though, as the district hasn't had a permanent U.S. Attorney since now-Attorney General Nick Brown left the position in 2023. Since then, there's been several interim U.S. attorneys, which only allows them to serve for a limited time.

Rogoff was set to serve as acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington until President Trump selected a replacement. Instead, the position remains unfilled.

What they're saying:

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote the following in response to Rogoff's firing:

"District court judges can appoint a temporary U.S. Attorney, and POTUS can fire them. 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."

However, Senator Patty Murray criticized the decision, saying Rogoff was qualified for the position and appointed legally. She issued the following statement:

"Roger Rogoff’s is eminently qualified—throughout his career, he has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to public service, and he was appointed legally by the federal judges in the Western District of Washington. He should have never been fired, but the President wants to appoint an out-of-touch extremist who will put Trump over the rule of law. This administration doesn't want to deal with advice and consent—they just want to install cronies to carry out a corrupt political agenda. The people of Washington state deserve someone in this role who will enforce the law fairly and responsibly—not some Trump administration sock puppet. The President needs to understand that DOJ works for the American people—it’s not his personal law firm to enforce his mob-style politics."

What's next:

A federal lawsuit could be in order challenging Rogoff's dismissal, however no immediate announcements were made by state leaders.

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