Another federal judge heard arguments Thursday about the legitimacy of a top Trump administration prosecutor as New York Attorney General Letitia James challenged the authority of the acting U.S. attorney probing two of her high-profile cases. The court hearing focusing on the role of John Sarcone, who is acting as U.S. attorney for northern New York, comes as President Donald Trump's effort to install political loyalists as federal prosecutors has run into a legal buzz saw.
Driving the news: The indictment comes after U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert, left his post under pressure from Trump after he failed to bring fraud charges against James and former FBI Director James Comey, who was indicted last month after Siebert's resignation. Zoom out: Trump has repeatedly slammed James and her office, claiming that James was on a "witch hunt" and calling her "a totally corrupt politician" who should resign.
Since August, Hanaway has apparently been waging a "subpoena campaign" on the organization, and has served (or attempted to serve) five court orders to doctors, providers, and healthcare executives in clinics across the state in an effort to enforce Missouri's near-total abortion ban. In November, Missourians voted to pass Amendment 3, which was meant to overturn the state's near-total abortion ban and codify the right to abortion until fetal viability in the state constitution.
He had a large portfolio at the White House that included oversight of the offices of communications, public liaison, cabinet affairs and speechwriting. Zoom out: Budowich joined Trump's small inner circle in 2021, after the president's first term, and was a key player in plotting Trump's 2024 comeback. He founded and led the MAGA Inc. super PAC and Securing American Greatness, a nonprofit group that collects "dark money," so named because it doesn't have to reveal its donors.
One fascinating name here is Alberto Gonzalez and Robert Mueller. He was the director of the FBI, and Alberto Gonzalez was the head of the DOJ when Epstein got his true get-out-of-jail-free card.
