NEW: Roger Rogoff, a US Attorney in Washington State whom the Trump administration abruptly fired, has filed a lawsuit challenging his termination, making this the first legal challenge of its kind to Trump’s Justice Department that has attempted to dominate and control top prosecutors.

Rogoff was unanimously appointed by a panel of district court judges under a law that allows judges to nominate their own US attorneys. The position was vacant for months until last week, when the panel unanimously chose to appoint Rogoff, who was quickly terminated by the Trump administration, whose officials argue they will not tolerate judicial appointments made independently and absent close consultation with the Department of Justice. 

In his lawsuit filed today, Rogoff argues that the president does not have the power to terminate judicially appointed US attorneys, despite Trump having done so already in his second term. This lawsuit is huge because it will represent the first major challenge against Trump’s dominance within the Justice Department, and the argument presented against Trump will ironically involve states’ rights, which is something Trump claims to support.

Full lawsuit: storage.courtlistener.c…