Trump administration moves to fire new US attorney

The Justice Department moved to fire the new U.S. attorney for the northern district of New York, the same day that federal judges unveiled his appointment to replace a prosecutor allied with President Donald Trump's administration.



Trump has drawn criticism from rights and political experts for what they call his administration's targeting of political opponents in efforts that have faced legal challenges and protests.



In a ceremony on Wednesday, the Northern District of New York Board of Judges appointed Donald Kinsella to replace John Sarcone, who had been serving on an acting basis and was disqualified by a court.



Kinsella, who could not immediately be reached for comment, has decades of experience in criminal and civil litigation and was previously an assistant U.S. attorney and the criminal chief of the justice Department.



Last month a federal judge ruled that Sarcone was unlawfully serving as the top federal prosecutor in the state's capital of Albany, and blocked his involvement in an investigation of state Attorney General Letitia James.