Trump Nominates Personal Lawyer James M. McDonald as U.S. Attorney for Southern District of New York

President Trump announced his intention to nominate James M. McDonald, one of his personal lawyers, as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York—one of the most powerful federal prosecutor offices in the country. McDonald, a senior partner at Sullivan & Cromwell, previously served as a federal prosecutor in the same office and worked as a financial regulator during Trump's first term. The appointment fills the vacancy created when Trump nominated the current U.S. Attorney, Jay Clayton, to serve as Director of National Intelligence. The nomination raises serious concerns about conflicts of interest, as McDonald has served as Trump's personal attorney while being selected to lead an office that has historically maintained independence from political influence. SDNY has jurisdiction over cases involving Trump and his associates, including previous investigations into the Trump Organization and Michael Cohen. Legal ethics experts have raised alarms about the potential for pros...