Warner & Kaine Statement on Politically Motivated Pushing Out of Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement regarding President Donald Trump's forcing out of Erik Siebert, interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, because Siebert was unwilling to bring criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James that Trump demanded after Siebert's office was unable to find incriminating evidence of mortgage fraud:

"The American people are begging for lower costs and for the Trump Administration to undo its attacks on their health care. But what is Trump focused on? Threatening to pull anyone who criticizes him on TV off the air. And now, pushing out the interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia that we recommended and he himself nominated because Erik Siebert is an ethical prosecutor who refused to bring criminal charges against Trump's perceived enemies when the facts wouldn't support it. The Eastern District of Virginia is at the forefront of significant cases essential to our national security, and just like any court in America, should be focused on justice instead of a thin-skinned president's vendettas."

In April, after an extensive interview process that included the input of a bipartisan panel of former Virginia U.S. attorneys and other well-respected members of the Virginia legal community, Warner and Kaine sent a letter to the White House recommending Siebert for the U.S. attorney position. In May, the White House announced that Siebert was formally nominated for the role. Siebert was serving in an interim capacity because he had not yet been confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

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