From the beginning of the Republic, presidents have sought the Senate's advice and consent when appointing U.S. attorneys. The practice reflects a shared understanding that these officials wield extraordinary authority over individual liberty. As Franklin D. Roosevelt's attorney general and later Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson once observed, the prosecutor has more control "over life, liberty, and reputation than any other person in America." In 2025, the Eastern District of Virginia is the testing ground for efforts to bypass many of the legal norms that date back to the nation's founding, centered around the indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Comey has pleaded not guilty to allegedly making false statements to Congress ,

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