Judge Halts Trump’s Firing of Seattle U.S. Attorney, Orders Reinstatement
Federal judge blocks Trump's dismissal of Seattle prosecutor, reinstates him as U.S. attorney amid legal battle over executive power.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, United States — A federal judge has halted President Donald Trump’s removal of Roger Rogoff from his position as the top federal prosecutor in Seattle, ruling that the president lacks the authority to unilaterally dismiss a U.S. attorney appointed by district court judges.
U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian issued the decision following a hearing, agreeing to reinstate Rogoff until a Senate-confirmed replacement is named. The president had previously nominated Simon Peter Serrano for the role last month.
Bastian ruled that Rogoff, who took office on July 15 after being sworn in by district judges, remains the rightful U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington. He emphasized that the president cannot remove an official appointed through the judicial process, stating that doing so would disrupt the constitutional balance between the executive and legislative branches.
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The Justice Department has announced it will appeal the ruling and seek to block its implementation. The judge also clarified that Charles Neil Floyd, who has been leading the office, is not the official U.S. attorney and that his authority was improperly granted.
Rogoff was fired less than an hour after taking the oath of office. His lawsuit argued that the administration’s actions undermine the Senate’s role in confirming officials. The case marks the first time a dismissed prosecutor has challenged such a firing in court.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
