U.S. Attorney thanks state after sudden ousting
It has been my privilege and the highest honor of my professional career to serve as Montana’s United States Attorney since 2009. Over eight years ago, Senator Tester and then Senator Baucus placed their trust in me to serve as the highest federal law enforcement officer in the District of Montana when they recommended to President Obama that I be named the 39th United States Attorney for this great state. I thank both men.
Prior to my being sworn in as the United States Attorney in December, 2009, my predecessor, Bush appointee Bill Mercer, held over for the first 10 months of the Obama administration, continuing to serve as Montana’s United States Attorney. In the months after I was sworn in, I served alongside 92 United States Attorneys from both parties, with over 40 Bush appointees still holding office well over a year after President Obama took office. The transition from one administration to the next was gradual and orderly. President Obama and Attorneys General Holder and Lynch impressed upon us throughout that we were the “people’s United States Attorneys;” we did not “belong” to the president. Our sworn duty was to serve as independent representatives of the Department of Justice, and to act in all matters toward the ends of justice without partisanship or bias. This I and my colleagues—Democrat and Republican alike—have done, in accordance with the oath we have all taken.
On March 10, 2017, the 46 Obama United States Attorneys remaining in office were summarily informed by telephone or learned via the internet of our immediate ouster at the express order of President Trump. We were given three hours notice to vacate our offices, without thanks for our service and without Trump appointees in place to succeed us. There was no orderly transition such as I enjoyed, which allowed me to spend hours with my predecessor discussing the transition, pending investigations, and sensitive classified matters just after I came on board. Instead, having been characterized by Trump surrogates—without a shred of evidence—as “subversives” and “saboteurs” of President Trump, we were ordered to immediately resign, our loyalty to our country impugned. These allegations of subversion are patently false. The 92 United States Attorneys with whom I have served are among the finest and most loyal persons in the nation. As of now, there are fewer than a handful of vetted and experienced United States Attorneys in office in the entire country, and it could well be a year or more before these important offices are finally filled. Respectfully, this abrupt mass termination was unjustified and short-sighted, and it has needlessly thrown the Department of Justice into disruption.
I am nonetheless extremely thankful for every day of the seven plus years I was allowed the opportunity to serve as Montana’s United States Attorney. This was the best job I have ever had and I miss it. But I have every confidence that the attorneys and staff serving in our office, Montana men and women, will continue to carry out our mission professionally, competently and diligently. I thank them all, as well as the many federal agents, tribal, state and local law enforcement officers and civil servants with whom we have worked, for their dedication to their country, communities and their careers in public service. Your loyalty and hard work will be forever appreciated. Thank you, Montana.
– Michael W. Cotter was the United States Attorney for the District of Montana from 2009 to March 10, 2017.