Tammy Dickinson, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is among top federal prosecutors ordered to resign by the Trump administration.
Don Ledford, a spokesman for the office, confirmed that Dickinson was among the 46 U.S. Attorneys who were told to submit their resignations.
Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Larson, a veteran federal prosecutor, will serve in her place until a presidential appointment is confirmed, Ledford said in an email.
Ledford said that Dickinson would not be making any public comments.
Dickinson is the highest ranking federal prosecutor in the Western District of Missouri, which encompasses 66 counties in the state. The office has 64 attorneys and 63 back-up staff.
Dickinson, a Kansas City native, was appointed to the position in January 2013 by President Barack Obama. Before that, she had been an assistant prosecutor in that office since 1998.
There are 93 U.S. Attorneys in the United States. The New York Times is reporting that the Trump administration asked 46 holdover U.S. Attorneys to submit their resignations immediately.
While it’s not uncommon for new presidents to replace U.S. Attorneys appointed by their predecessors, it’s rare for them to be asked to depart all at once. A notable exception was President Bill Clinton, who fired all 93 U.S. Attorneys in one day in 1993.
Tom Beall, the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas, has not been told to resign, his spokesman, Jim Cross, said.
Beall took over that office when U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom resigned about a year ago. Beall was formerly first assistant U.S. Attorney in the office.
U.S. Attorney offices handle federal crimes, including public corruption, firearms, terrorism, child exploitation and terrorism cases, in their respective districts. They also defend the United States in civil cases.
Dan Margolies is KCUR’s health editor. You can reach him on Twitter @DanMargolies.
