On the Day Court-Appointed US Attorney is Sworn in He is Fired by White House: ‘Judges Don’t Choose US Attorneys, Only the President Does’

by Margaret Flavin Feb. 13, 2026 12:00 pm367 Comments

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That was quick.

A board of judges for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York chose Donald T. Kinsella to serve as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York.

On Wednesday, Kinsella was sworn in.

Before the end of the day, he was fired by the Trump administration.

A statement from the court announced:

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“Pursuant to 28 U.S. Code § 546(d), the Board of Judges for the Northern District of New York appointed Donald T. Kinsella as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York.”

“Donald T. Kinsella has more than 50 years of experience in complex criminal and civil litigation. Mr. Kinsella prosecuted or defended several high profile federal and state criminal cases in New York. Mr. Kinsella served as an Assistant United States Attorney from 1989 until 1998 when he was promoted to Criminal Chief of the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York. He held this position until 2002 when he retired from federal service.”

“Mr. Kinsella is a past President of the Federal Court Bar Association of the Northern District of New York; a former member of the Executive Committee of the Criminal Justice Section of the New York State Bar Association; and was a Member of the Practitioners Advisory Committee of the United States Sentencing Commission.”

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“He attended Colgate University, received a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, and earned his Juris Doctor and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees from Boston University School of Law.”

“Mr. Kinsella was sworn in as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York in a private ceremony on February 11, 2026.”

Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said not so fast.

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Blanche was direct on X when announcing the firing.

“Judges don’t pick U.S. Attorneys, @POTUS does. See Article II of our Constitution.”

“You are fired, Donald Kinsella.”

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