Purge of Obama-appointed U.S. attorneys applies to Arkansas’ Eastern District attorney

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has announced that the 46 remaining U.S. attorneys appointed by President Obama have been asked to resign, but Arkansas’ Eastern District U.S. attorney hasn’t heard anything beyond that.

The announcement wouldn’t apply to the U.S. attorney in the Western District. That seat has been open after Conner Eldridge, who was appointed by Obama, stepped down in October 2015 to challenge U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., in the 2016 general election. Boozman handily won re-election.

Sarah Isgur Flores, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice, announced Friday that all U.S. attorneys appointed by Obama who have not resigned have been asked to do so.

But Chris Givens, an assistant U.S. attorney and public information officer for Eastern District U.S. Attorney Chris Thyer, said the office had not been contacted directly and only knew of the development through the announcement.

“We have received the same information that it sounds like you have received. At this time, there’s not been a direct contact,” he said.

Thyer was nominated by Obama on Dec. 1, 2010, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Dec. 22. He previously was a partner at Stanley & Thyer, P.A., a Jonesboro law firm. The Eastern District includes 41 counties.

The Western District’s U.S. attorney, Kenneth Elser, is an interim appointed judicially after the resignation of Eldridge. Joyce Snow, a spokesperson, said Elser would serve until President Trump nominates and the Senate confirms another appointee. The Western District includes 34 counties.

President Barack Obama did not immediately replace all Bush-appointed U.S. attorneys. However, in March 1993 at the beginning of President Bill Clinton’s term, Attorney General Janet Reno demanded the resignations of all the nation’s 93 U.S. attorneys, including now Attorney General Jeff Sessions.