How the Biden Administration Is Shaking Up the Judicial Branch

Beth Baumann | February 08, 2021 11:55 PM

The Department of Justice is asking for all U.S. attorneys appointed by former President Donald Trump to resign. The calls could come as early as Tuesday a senior Justice Department official told CNN.

The DOJ reportedly wants all Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys to resign, with the exception of two: Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, who is overseeing the investigation into Hunter Biden's taxes, and Special Counsel John Durham, who has been tasked with reexamining the origins of the Russia probe. Durham is currently serving as Connecticut U.S. Attorney and is expected to resign from that role.

U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Michael Sherwin, is also anticipated to remain in his role. Former Attorney General William Barr appointed the career prosecutor to investigate the Capitol Hill riots that took place on January 6.

According to CNN, the request will impact 56 U.S. attorneys that were appointed by Trump and confirmed in the Senate. As of now, there are 94 U.S. attorneys throughout the nation. Of those, 25 are currently serving in an acting position because a number of Trump appointees resigned before President Joe Biden's inauguration.

A shakeup in U.S. attorneys is considered customary for an incoming administration. When President Trump came into office, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked 46 Obama appointees to resign. A handful stayed in their positions for a brief period.

One of President Trump's greatest achievements while in office were his nominations and appointments to the judicial branch. During his administration, 220 federal judges were confirmed. He also received three Supreme Court confirmations. According to Ballotpedia News, Trump has the second most confirmations, following Jimmy Carter.