who are the 46 us attorney generals to be fired

Why were attorneys fired from the Department of Justice?

 · Attorney General Jeff Sessions has asked the remaining 46 U.S. attorneys who served under the Obama administration to resign, the Justice Department announced Friday, describing the move as part ...

Who is the most recent US Attorney General to die?

 · Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush also dismissed large numbers of US attorneys. Washington CNN —. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has asked for the resignations of 46 US attorneys ...

Who criticized Trump's firing of Attorney General candidates?

Fred F. Fielding, White House Counsel; William K. Kelley, Deputy White House Counsel; William Moschella, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General; Brett Tolman, U.S. Attorney, District of …

Was the firing of eight federal attorneys politically motivated?

Immediate outrage over any action taken by President Donald Trump has become the new normal, so it wasn't a surprise to see a wave of criticism follow the administration's call for the ...

How many US attorneys did bush fire?

On December 7, 2006, the George W. Bush Administration's Department of Justice ordered the unprecedented midterm dismissal of seven United States attorneys. Congressional investigations focused on whether the Department of Justice and the White House were using the U.S. Attorney positions for political advantage.

Who is the highest Attorney General?

The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States....United States Attorney GeneralFlag of the United States Attorney GeneralIncumbent Merrick Garland since March 11, 2021United States Department of JusticeStyleMr. Attorney General (informal) The Honorable (formal)13 more rows

How powerful is the United States Attorney General?

The Attorney General of the United States – appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate – heads the DOJ with its more than 100,000 attorneys, special agents, and other staff. It represents the United States in federal criminal and civil litigation, and provides legal advice to the President and Cabinet.

Who was the last attorney general of the United States?

List of U.S. attorneys generalAttorney GeneralYears of serviceMerrick Garland2021-PresentEric Holder2009-2015Michael B. Mukasey2007-2009Alberto R. Gonzales2005-200782 more rows

Who has more power governor or Attorney General?

The vast majority of state attorneys general are elected separately from the governor, which means they're free to make their own decisions about which cases to prosecute. Governors can try to influence them informally—and in most cases, their interests line up—but they have no formal power over the AGs.

What is the salary of the California Attorney General?

State executive salariesOffice and current officialSalaryGovernor of California Gavin Newsom$209,747Lieutenant Governor of California Eleni KounalakisAttorney General of California Rob BontaCalifornia Secretary of State Shirley Weber6 more rows

Is FBI under DOJ?

Within the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI is responsible to the attorney general, and it reports its findings to U.S. Attorneys across the country. The FBI's intelligence activities are overseen by the Director of National Intelligence.

Does Canada have an Attorney General?

The Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today announced the following appointment under the judicial application process established in 2016.

How many U.S. district attorneys are there?

93 United States AttorneysThere are currently 93 United States Attorneys: one for each of the 94 federal judicial districts, except for Guam and the Northern Marianas, where a single U.S. Attorney serves both districts.

Who was the Attorney General under George W Bush?

John David Ashcroft (born May 9, 1942) is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and former politician who served as the 79th U.S. Attorney General in the George W. Bush Administration, Senator from Missouri, and Governor of Missouri. He later founded the Ashcroft Group, a Washington D.C. lobbying firm.

Who was the first female Attorney General of the United States?

Janet Wood Reno (July 21, 1938 – November 7, 2016) was an American lawyer who served as the 78th United States attorney general from 1993 to 2001, the second-longest serving in that position, after William Wirt. A member of the Democratic Party, Reno was the first woman to hold that post.

Who was the Attorney General under George Washington?

Randolph had handled much of President Washington's personal legal work, and Washington appointed him as the first Attorney General of the United States in 1789 and then as Secretary of State in 1794. After leaving government service, Randolph represented Aaron Burr during Burr's 1807 trial for treason.

Who is the current head of the Justice Department?

Merrick GarlandU.S. Department of JusticeDepartment of JusticeSecretary:Merrick GarlandYear created:1789Official website:Justice.gov1 more row

Who is the head of the Department of Justice 2020?

Meet the Attorney General As the nation's chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Garland leads the Justice Department's 115,000 employees, who work across the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Who is the acting Attorney General of the United States?

Attorney General Bill Barr is out, so starting next week, Jeffrey Rosen will serve as the acting attorney general for the final weeks of the Trump presidency. NPR's Carrie Johnson is here to tell us more about him.

How many attorney generals are there in the US?

Of the 50 Attorneys General, 25 do not have a formal provision specifying the number of terms allowed. Of the 44 elected attorneys general, all serve four-year terms with the exception of Vermont, who serves a two-year term. 11 face a two term limit, otherwise unspecified.

Who replaced the majority of US attorneys?

President Ronald Reagan replaced a majority of his administration’s US attorneys within his first two years in office.

Who is the attorney who resigned from the Trump administration?

A list of the US attorneys asked to resign was not immediately available. But one of them is the high-profile US attorney in Manhattan, Preet Bharara, according to a Justice Department official. Bharara met with President Donald Trump at Trump Tower after the November election and told reporters that Trump had asked him to stay on, and that he agreed to do so.

Who has the right to replace and nominate US attorneys?

Administrations have the right to replace and nominate US attorneys. President Bill Clinton, for instance, dismissed dozens of US attorneys in his first year of office.

Is forced resignation a matter of course?

A Justice Department spokeswoman explained that forced resignations are a matter of course when turning the agency over to a new administration.

Did the Justice Department tell the prosecutors they were fired?

The Justice Department announced the firings Friday afternoon, and many prosecutors had not been formally notified or even told before they were fired , according to a law enforcement source. Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente was in the beginning stages of calling each US attorney individually to tell them they had to resign when the DOJ issued a statement.

Is it common for administrations to ask holdovers to step down?

It is common for administrations to ask holdovers to step down, but what is less common is the abruptness of Friday’s announcement. Two sources familiar with the Justice Department tell CNN they were unsure for some time whether such an action would happen and had been looking for some type of announcement – but received radio silence.

Who were the two attorneys who were fired in 2005?

Two U.S. Attorneys who were fired in 2005, Thomas M. DiBiagio and Kasey Warner, have made public statements claiming that there may be similarities between their dismissals and those of the nine attorneys fired in 2006.

Who was the attorney who was dismissed?

The best known of the dismissed U.S. attorneys was Carol Lam, who had successfully prosecuted then Republican Congressman Duke Cunningham for corruption. On May 11, 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that her investigation had expanded to investigate Jerry Lewis, then chair of the House Appropriations Committee. On May 10, 2006, Lam had also notified the Justice Department that she intended to execute search warrants on a high-ranking CIA official. On May 11, Kyle Sampson urged the White House counsel's office to call him regarding "the real problem we have right now with Carol Lam." She continued to work as the events unfolded and ordered her staff to finish with the indictments they were working on before her last day in office. In February 2007, two days before her last, her office indicted Dusty Foggo, the former Executive Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and a major campaign contributor Brent R. Wilkes (who was previously named on Cunningham's guilty plea).

Who was the attorney that pressured David Iglesias to speed up indictments?

Rep. Heather Wilson also called and "pressured New Mexico U.S. attorney David Iglesias to speed up indictments in a federal corruption investigation that involved at least one former Democratic state senator. Wilson was curt after Iglesias was non-responsive to her questions about whether an indictment would be unsealed." Iglesias was fired one week afterward by the Bush Administration. Ex-Governor David Cargo (R-NM) accused Wilson of "essentially taking the Fifth [Amendment]" defense thus far.

When did Schlozman leave the Department of Justice?

Schlozman returned to work for the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. in April 2007 shortly before a federal judge dismissed the voter-fraud lawsuit. More than a year after his resignation, in May 2007, Graves confirmed for the first time that he had been forced out.

Who replaced Todd Graves?

U.S. Attorney for Western Missouri Todd Graves was listed on the list that the DOJ created in January 2006. He was replaced by Bradley Schlozman, an acting assistant attorney general, who became one of the first to be appointed using the provision enabled by the Patriot Act. Graves resigned in 2006 after refusing to "sign off" on a voter-fraud lawsuit that was filed against the state of Missouri by Schlozman. Schlozman was appointed without Senate confirmation two weeks after Graves' resignation. Schlozman then brought indictments against four voter-registration workers of ACORN, a Democratic-leaning group, several days before the Missouri Senate election date. Schlozman returned to work for the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. in April 2007 shortly before a federal judge dismissed the voter-fraud lawsuit. More than a year after his resignation, in May 2007, Graves confirmed for the first time that he had been forced out.

Why was McKay dismissed?

In a May 5, 2007 article, The Washington Post reported that McKay may have in part been dismissed due to conflicts with his superiors in Washington concerning the investigation of the murder of Assistant United States Attorney Thomas C. Wales. McKay had felt that Washington was neglecting the case.

Why was Kevin Ryan fired?

The Los Angeles Times reported on March 22, 2007, that Kevin Ryan was a loyal Bush supporter and that the only reason the DOJ fired him was because his poor performance could cause a public relations problem. The Times reported that Ryan's problems in office were "well documented in legal newspapers" but that "Justice officials wanted to keep Ryan on, even as they plotted the firings of other U.S. attorneys." The article goes on to state that it was only after a judge threatened to report this information to Congress publicly that Ryan was put on the list to be fired.

Who were the attorneys who did not resign before Biden's inauguration?

Some high-profile US attorneys who had not resigned ahead of Biden's inauguration included US Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio David DeVillers, Utah US Attorney John Huber and Pittsburgh US Attorney Scott Brady.

Who is the acting attorney for the Capitol?

Among those the Biden administration may keep for a while, according to people briefed on the matter, are Michael Sherwin, acting US attorney in Washington, DC, who is overseeing the sprawling probe of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

Who was the US attorney who investigated Hillary Clinton's business dealings?

During his second time as the US attorney, Huber was tasked by Sessions to reexamine a previous Justice Department investigation of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's business dealings and the Clinton Foundation.

Who wrote a letter to Wilkinson urging him not to interfere in the investigation?

Graham said he needs time to question Garland on current investigations and wrote a letter on Tuesday to Wilkinson urging him "not to interfere in or call off" the investigations.

How many attorneys did Sessions ask to resign?

The changeover of US attorneys is routine but is often fraught with political overtones. In 2017, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked 46 Obama-appointed US attorneys to submit their resignations. A handful were allowed to stay on for a brief period, but most had to leave immediately.

Who will remain in the Senate until Biden is approved?

A number of acting US attorneys who aren't Senate confirmed or who were appointed by the courts are expected to remain in their posts until a Biden appointee is approved by the Senate, prosecutors were told Tuesday.

Who was the journalist who was dismissed by the Justice Department?

NPR journalist Ari Shapiro connected the dismissal to Monica Goodling 's admission that she had failed to observe civil service statutes in personnel decisions within the Justice Department.

How many attorneys testified in 2007?

March 6, 2007: Six attorneys testify before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias of New Mexico testifies that after October 2006 phone calls from Representative Heather Wilson and Senator Pete Domenici: "I felt leaned on. I felt pressured to get these matters moving."

When did Michael Elston resign?

June 15, 2007: Michael Elston, Chief of Staff to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, announced his resignation that day, to be effective in one week from then, June 22, 2007. He became the fifth senior official at the Department of Justice to announce their resignation during the controversy.

When did Miers respond to Sampson's preliminary plan to push out attorneys?

September 17, 2006: Via email, Miers responds to Sampson's preliminary plan to push out attorneys: "I have not forgotten I need to follow up on the info, but things have been crazy. Will be back in touch!"

When did Sampson recommend Miers and Kelley to leave the government?

January 9, 2006: Sampson recommends to Miers and Kelley that their office "work quietly with targeted U.S. attorneys to encourage them to leave government service voluntarily."

Who resigned from the White House?

Officials who resigned. Alberto Gonzales, United States Attorney General, former White House Counsel. Kyle Sampson, Chief of Staff to the Attorney General. Michael A. Battle, Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys. Michael Elston, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General.

Did Gonzales admit to incomplete information?

Gonzales admitted that "incomplete information was communicated or may have been communicated to Congress" by Justice Department officials. March 13, 2007: At the request of the House Judiciary Committee, the Justice Department releases documents detailing the firings of U.S. attorneys.

Why were the seven attorneys fired?

Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 6. He said that the seven were fired for job performance issues and not political considerations; these statements lead several of the dismissed attorneys, who had been previously silent, to come forward with questions about their dismissals, partially because their performance reviews prior to their dismissal had been highly favorable.

Who was the DOJ attorney general in 2006?

Attorney General Gonzales, in a confidential memorandum dated March 1, 2006, delegated authority to senior DOJ staff Monica Goodling and Kyle Sampson to hire and dismiss political appointees and some civil service positions.

What did the change in the law do to the Attorney General?

The change in the law undermined the confirmation authority of the Senate and gave the Attorney General greater appointment powers than the President, since the President's U.S. Attorney appointees are required to be confirmed by the Senate and those of the Attorney General did not require confirmation.

How long can an interim attorney serve?

Attorneys by deleting two provisions: (a) the 120-day maximum term for the Attorney General's interim appointees, and (b) the subsequent interim appointment authority of Federal District Courts. With the revision, an interim appointee can potentially serve indefinitely (though still removable by the President), if the President declines to nominate a U.S. Attorney for a vacancy, or the Senate either fails to act on a Presidential nomination, or rejects a nominee that is different than the interim appointee.

Who can appoint an attorney?

The President of the United States has the authority to appoint U.S. Attorneys, with the consent of the United States Senate, and the President may remove U.S. Attorneys from office. In the event of a vacancy, the United States Attorney General is authorized to appoint an interim U.S. Attorney. Before March 9, 2006, such interim appointments expired after 120 days, if a Presidential appointment had not been approved by the Senate. Vacancies that persisted beyond 120 days were filled through interim appointments made by the Federal District Court for the district of the vacant office.

Why are emails about the firing of attorneys lost?

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel stated that some of the emails that had involved official correspondence relating to the firing of attorneys may have been lost because they were conducted on Republican party accounts and not stored properly. "Some official e-mails have potentially been lost and that is a mistake the White House is aggressively working to correct." said Stanzel, a White House spokesman. Stonzel said that they could not rule out the possibility that some of the lost emails dealt with the firing of U.S. attorneys. For example, J. Scott Jennings, an aide to Karl Rove communicated with Justice Department officials "concerning the appointment of Tim Griffin, a former Rove aide, as U.S. attorney in Little Rock, according to e-mails released in March, 2007. For that exchange, Jennings, although working at the White House, used an e-mail account registered to the Republican National Committee, where Griffin had worked as a political opposition researcher."

Did Gonzales lose support?

Go nzales lost more support when records subsequently challenged some of these statements. Although the Department of Justice released 3,000 pages of its internal communications related to this issue, none of those documents discussed anything related to a performance review process for these attorneys before they were fired. Records released on March 23 showed that on his November 27 schedule "he attended an hour-long meeting at which, aides said, he approved a detailed plan for executing the purge ".

Who was the acting attorney general of the United States in 2017?

For example, upon the inauguration of President Donald Trump on January 20, 2017, then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch left her position, so then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, who had also tendered her resignation, was asked to stay on to serve as the acting attorney general until the confirmation of the new attorney general Jeff Sessions, who had been nominated for the office in November 2016 by then- President-elect Donald Trump.

When does the Attorney General have to resign?

Presidential transition[edit] It is the practice for the attorney general, along with the other Cabinet secretaries and high-level political appointees of the President, to tender a resignation with effect on the Inauguration Day(January 20) of a new president.

Who was the attorney general nominee for Clinton?

Gerson was fourth in the line of succession at the Justice Department, but other senior DOJ officials had already resigned.[14] Janet Reno, President Clinton's nominee for attorney general, was confirmed on March 12,[15]and he resigned the same day.

How much does an attorney general make in 2021?

Attorney General is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule, thus earning a salary of US$ 221,400, as of January 2021.

What was the purpose of the Attorney General's Office?

The original duties of this officer were "to prosecute and conduct all suits in the Supreme Court in which the United States shall be concerned, and to give his advice and opinion upon questions of law when required by the president of the United States, or when requested by the heads of any of the departments". Some of these duties have since been transferred to the United States solicitor general and the White House counsel .

What is the job of the Attorney General?

The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United Stateson all legal matters. The attorney general is a statutory member of the Cabinet of the United States.

When was the Department of Justice established?

The Department of Justice was established in 1870 to support the attorneys general in the discharge of their responsibilities.

How many attorneys were fired from the White House?

In response to congressional inquiries, the Department of Justice released a series of internal communications — including e-mails with White House staff — that preceded the firings of eight U.S. attorneys.

How many federal prosecutors were fired by the Bush administration?

Timeline: Behind the Firing of Eight U.S. Attorneys The Bush administration announced in December that it was replacing several federal prosecutors. The Democratic-controlled Congress has had hearings into whether the dismissals were politically motivated. Political furor has ensued. Follow events so far.

When did Fred Fielding offer to interview the White House?

March 20, 2007 : White House counsel Fred Fielding offers to make White House officials available to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees for private interviews without an oath or transcript. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Leahy responds, "I don't accept his offer.".

Why did Sampson resign?

March 16, 2007: Sampson releases a statement through his lawyer saying that he did not resign because he failed to tell Justice officials the extent of his communications with the White House. Instead, he says, he resigned because he did not "organize a more effective political response" to the dismissals.

When did Gonzales say he would not fight the Patriot Act?

March 9, 2007: Gonzales says he will not fight congressional proposals to undo the PATRIOT Act provision that gave him more authority to appoint replacement U.S. attorneys.

When did Gonzales testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee?

Jan. 18, 2007: Gonzales testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee: "I would never, ever make a change in a United States attorney position for political reasons, or if it would in any way jeopardize an ongoing, serious investigation." ( Hear Gonzales' testimony.)

Who were the attorneys dismissed in 2006?

attorneys: Daniel Bogden of Nevada, Paul Charlton of Arizona, Margaret Chiara of Michigan, David Iglesias of New Mexico, Carol Lam of San Diego, John McKay of Seattle, and Kevin Ryan of San Francisco.