ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — The Trump administration’s new acting attorney general has been described as a “consummate utility player” known for stepping in to lead offices thrown into turmoil.
Dana Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, was appointed Monday. He replaces Sally Yates, an Obama administration holdover who was fired after refusing to defend the Trump administration’s travel ban.
Boente, a career prosecutor, says the ban is lawful and the Justice Department will defend it.
In 2012, Boente was tapped to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Orleans after a scandal there led to his predecessor’s resignation.
For all the drama associated with Boente’s current appointment, his time as attorney general may be brief: The Senate could vote this week to confirm Trump’s nominee for the post, Jeff Sessions.
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