Interminable Prosecutors

Following up on our story a few weeks ago about the fates of 11 interim U.S. attorneys whose terms expire this coming Friday, we offer a quick accounting. There’s been some movement, but so far no U.S. district court has voted to cancel a prosecutor’s appointment.

On Sept. 25, judges of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California unanimously voted to hold on to interim U.S. Attorney Scott Schools, until the president nominates someone else to the post, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Schools, appointed in February by then Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, replaced U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan, who was fired last winter along with eight other U.S. attorneys.

On Sept. 26, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington unanimously voted to continue interim U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Sullivan’s appointment, according to the Seattle Times. Sullivan, the office’s former criminal chief, replaced John McKay, who was also among the group of fired U.S. attorneys, in February.

Last week, the U.S. District Court for Arizona voted to extend interim U.S. Attorney Daniel Knauss’s stay indefinitely, according to the Associated Press. Knauss was appointed in January when Paul Charlton -- yup, also fired -- left the office. No word from the White House on whether a nomination is forthcoming.

Vacancies (25, to date) have far outpaced nominations (five) pending in the Senate. In the last week alone, two more offices lost their Senate-confirmed U.S. attorneys. Benton J. Campbell, a senior Justice Department official in Washington, was appointed interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York last Friday. He takes over for Roslynn Mauskopf, who was confirmed to be a U.S. district judge in Brooklyn.

Also last week in the Southern District of Indiana, Timothy Morrison moved into the front office, following the resignation of U.S. Attorney Susan Brooks. Morrison, the office’s first assistant U.S. attorney, will serve in an acting capacity -- like so many others.