Trump fired US attorney after just 54 minutes on the job; now he is fighting back in court

A newly sworn-in US attorney who was removed by the Trump administration just 54 minutes after taking office has launched a legal challenge, setting up what could become a major test of presidential authority over federal prosecutors.King County Superior Court Judge Roger Rogoff stands in court on Oct. 10, 2016, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)Roger Rogoff, who was selected to serve as the US attorney for the Western District of Washington, filed a lawsuit arguing that the administration did not have the legal authority to remove him from the position.Rogoff was appointed last week after a panel of federal judges, including both Democratic and Republican appointees, unanimously chose him to fill the vacant role. Shortly after he was sworn in, however, the Trump administration dismissed him.The lawsuit is believed to be the first of its kind challenging the removal of a court-appointed US attorney and could determine whether presidents can dismiss prosecutors selected by federal judges before a Senate-confirmed replacement takes office.Why was Roger Rogoff fired?Rogoff argues that federal law protects court-appointed US attorneys from immediate removal. Under the law, the Justice Department can appoint an interim US attorney for 120 days.After that period, he argues, the district court can appoint a replacement who remains in the role until a permanent nominee is confirmed by the Senate.His complaint claims that allowing a president to remove any court-appointed US attorney who lacks administration support would allow the executive branch to bypass the Senate confirmation process.The Trump administration has rejected that argument and defended the dismissal.“Consistent with other firings of this type, this is wholly within the President’s authority,” a Justice Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also defended the move, writing on X: “District court judges can appoint a temporary US Attorney, and POTUS can fire them.”Blanche accused the Western District of Washington judges of moving ahead without consulting the administration, saying they had abandoned a “time-honored process of consultation” to ensure the prosecutor aligned with administration priorities.Legal battle over presidential powerUS attorneys serve as the federal government’s chief prosecutors in their districts. They oversee criminal prosecutions, represent the government in civil matters and help set federal law enforcement priorities.Rogoff’s case comes as the Trump administration has removed several US attorneys across the country, including prosecutors in New Jersey, New York and Virginia. However, Rogoff is the first among those dismissed to challenge his removal in court.Before becoming a federal prosecutor, Rogoff spent years as a state prosecutor, worked in private practice and served as a state judge after being appointed to the King County Superior Court by Washington Gov Jay Inslee in 2013.