The Trump administration fired a prosecutor appointed by judges, escalating a conflict between branches of government. In Judkins Park, a 60-year-old man died in a fire, and in Fremont a three-story house caught fire, requiring a second-alarm call.
Trump Administration Fired a Seattle U.S. Attorney Minutes After He Was Appointed by Federal Judges
The standoff between the Trump administration and the judiciary over the appointment of federal prosecutors reached a new level. On Wednesday morning, U.S. district judges for the Western District of Washington appointed Roger Rohough as interim U.S. attorney in Seattle, but only minutes later he was fired by the president. The incident unfolded amid an ongoing battle over control of appointments at the Department of Justice, where the Trump administration has faced resistance from Democrats in the Senate and from some judges.
As Fox News reports, Roger Rohough, 57, a former King County Superior Court judge and a seasoned prosecutor, was sworn in early that morning at the federal courthouse in downtown Seattle. After the ceremony, he went to the U.S. attorney’s office to meet with Charles Neal Floyd—an applicant the Trump administration preferred for the post, but whose 120-day interim term ended in February. While Rohough waited in the lobby, he received an email informing him that President Trump was removing him from office. On the same day, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on social media platform X that “district court judges can appoint an interim U.S. attorney, and the president can remove them,” and that the judges of the Western District of Washington bypassed the customary consultation process with the administration.
This situation is only one episode in a broader confrontation. Federal law allows the attorney general to appoint an interim prosecutor for 120 days. If that term expires and the Senate has not confirmed a permanent nominee, district judges may appoint someone to the position until the vacancy is filled. The Trump administration insists that the president has the authority to fire such appointees. However, courts in several Democratic-leaning districts—including Seattle and New Jersey—dispute the White House and Department of Justice’s authority to keep “acting” officials in place without Senate confirmation. In New Jersey, Alina Habba stepped down as the top federal prosecutor after an appeals court found her appointment unlawful. In Virginia, Lindsey Halligan left the job after a judge dismissed her indictments. The administration has also fired judges’ appointees in other districts.
Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington criticized Rohough’s firing, saying that “this administration does not want to respect the advice-and-consent process and instead wants to put its own allies in place to carry out a corrupt political agenda.” Rohough himself, who spent 20 years as a state prosecutor, six years as a federal prosecutor, and then became a judge, said he knew about the possibility of an immediate firing. “I’m very proud of my career, and the fact that the judges of this district found me to be the right person for this job was incredibly inspiring,” Fox News quotes him as saying. He also noted that “when they invent artificial ways to place people into these roles, the system breaks.” Rohough has already hired an employment law firm and is considering challenging his firing in court.
The key point of the dispute is the interpretation of the law on interim appointments. The Trump administration uses a “first assistant prosecutor” mechanism to keep its people in office without submitting them to the Senate, which Democrats call a workaround of the constitutional process. Judges respond by naming their own candidates, leading to direct clashes. This case shows just how politicized the process of appointing federal prosecutors has become—roles that have traditionally been viewed as nonpartisan guardians of the law. The consequences could be significant: if courts find the firing of judges’ appointees unlawful, it would undermine the president’s authority. If the firings stand, then judges’ appointments would lose their purpose, and control of prosecutors’ offices would fully shift to the administration. In any case, the incident adds to tensions between the executive and judicial branches of government, especially ahead of the confirmation hearings for Todd Blanche as attorney general—his hearings are ongoing, and the question of Rohough could become one of the key topics.
Fire in an Apartment in Seattle Kills a 60-Year-Old Man
On Sunday morning, a fire in one of the residential buildings in the Judkins Park neighborhood of Seattle resulted in a tragic death. According to information published in an article by The Seattle Times, the victim was 60-year-old Dan Matugas. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office said the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning and thermal burns covering about 60% of his body.
Seattle fire crews received the call at 6:38 a.m. and arrived at the scene—at the 1200 block of South 26th Avenue. Fortunately, the fire was contained by the building’s automatic fire suppression system: sprinklers activated and prevented the flames from spreading beyond a single apartment. However, when responders entered the unit, they found Dan Matugas already without signs of life. That was reported by Seattle Fire Department spokesperson David Kuerpo.
It is important to clarify that a “sprinkler-controlled fire” is a situation in which the automatic sprinkler system activates from the heat of the flames and begins spraying water, helping hold back the fire until the crews arrive. In this case, the system did its job, but unfortunately it could not save the man, who was in the center of the blaze.
The incident is currently under investigation. However, as Seattle police detective Brian Pritchard noted, there are no signs of criminal activity or a violent death—an arson theory or intentional harm is not being considered. Investigators will work to determine the exact cause of the fire, but it is already clear it could have been household negligence or a malfunctioning electrical appliance.
The tragedy in Judkins Park once again highlights the importance of working smoke detectors and sprinkler systems, which may not always prevent loss of life, but significantly reduce the scale of destruction and often provide a chance for survival. For now, the fire department can only offer condolences to the victim’s loved ones and wait for the experts’ final conclusions.
Fire in a Three-Story Building in Fremont: Flames Escalated to a Second-Alarm Call
Early Thursday morning, residents of Seattle’s popular Fremont neighborhood witnessed a troubling event—a three-story apartment building caught fire. The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) received the call at around 6:20 a.m., and by seven o’clock the first crews were already applying water to the fire. It was determined that the flames had spread into the concealed space in the attic above the third floor—one of the most dangerous areas to fight a fire, because the fire is hidden from view and can advance quickly through the structure. Minutes after the scope of the threat was determined, the incident was upgraded to a second-alarm fire, meaning additional resources and equipment were dispatched.
Unfortunately, there is currently no official information about any injuries or whether all residents were evacuated. A KIRO 7 reporter is on site and will provide details as they emerge. For context: a second-alarm call involves sending at least four fire engines, a ladder company, and a rescue team—an intensive response level typical for partially involved buildings. Concealed spaces in the attic are especially dangerous because flames can smolder for a long time inside the ceiling and then suddenly flare up with new force. According to local news, the fire has been contained, but risks of collapse or renewed ignition remain.
This situation once again underscores the importance of fire safety in older buildings, where utilities and wooden structures can become a fast path for flames to spread. Fremont residents should stay alert: road closures and heavy smoke are possible. For now, we must wait for the official determination of the fire’s cause and the fate of the residents. In a report on MyNorthwest.com, it was noted that firefighters responded quickly, but fires in concealed spaces require special tactics—specialists often have to cut open the roof and walls to reach the hidden seat of the fire. Let’s hope there are no fatalities and that everyone made it out of the danger zone.
