The editorial board of the Washington Post is coming out against President Trump’s decision to tap former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to serve as the top prosecutor in the District of Columbia.
Pirro, a former judge and prosecutor who was elected multiple times to serve as district attorney for Westchester County in New York, has, since leaving her last job as a prosecutor two decades ago, “acted in ways that call into question whether she has the independence necessary to responsibly take on one of the most important prosecutorial jobs in the United States,” the Post wrote in an editorial published on Tuesday.
The Post suggested Pirro’s appointment might not be allowed by law.
“It isn’t clear that the law allows him to name successive interim U.S. attorneys who are not confirmed by the Senate. Both these questions need to be resolved quickly to protect D.C.’s interests,” the newspaper wrote.
Pirro has questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 election and railed against what she, Trump and other Republicans have said is the weaponization of the Justice Department against him.
These should be disqualifying factors, the Post suggested.
“It’s no surprise he wants a proven loyalist in this role,” it wrote. “But to ensure the proper governance of D.C., the law needs to be followed, and a qualified lawyer needs to be put in charge of the office.”
