President Trump Fires Montana U.S. Attorney Without Notice

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Now former U.S. Attorney for Montana Jesse Laslovich was fired without notice by President Donald Trump as of Monday, February 17.

I spoke to Laslovich on Tuesday afternoon just after he received the devastating news.

Montana's U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich was Fired by President Trump with No Notice

“The decision wasn't mine,” began Laslovich. “I was terminated by President Trump. There are about 20 Biden appointees who had been U.S. attorneys who were all fired yesterday. So, I knew it was coming. We take these positions knowing that you serve at the pleasure of the President. I'm grateful for the additional time that I had here this past month and, of course, the few years before that, but really sad about having to leave.”

Laslovich recalled the story I did with him on Friday about a Missoula accountant who admitted to stealing money from his clients.

This Reporter Interviewed Laslovich on Friday About a Missoula Case

“I was at work on Friday,” he said. “In fact, I had talked to you about one of our cases, and had received no indication that we were being terminated until everything was shut off. My computer signed out, my work phone was locked and my access to the office was locked. I didn't have anything, and there was no communication until yesterday (Monday) that I heard from the U.S. Department of Justice in (Washington) D.C. that in fact, we had been fired.”

Laslovich said politics shouldn’t play such a role in the U.S. Department of Justice, and the manner in which he was fired was simply ‘not right’.

“I know that in this highly politicized environment, this is the way things have worked with both sides, frankly, but it doesn't make it right,” he said. “Like I told my colleague yesterday in (Washington, D.C.) we know that we serve at the pleasure (of the President). Just tell us. Just tell us when you want us out, and we will leave, but with how it went down Friday and then yesterday, it was disappointing. However, I'm not going to let that paint what has just been really wonderful experience serving as our state's United States Attorney the last two years and eight months.”

Laslovich said He is Deeply Concerned About his Professional Future

Like any husband and father, Laslovich is deeply concerned about his professional future.

“It's unnerving,” he said. “I don't know what I'm going to do next with things like health insurance in addition to bringing in income for my family being at the top of the list,” he said. “I'll have to figure that out. I prepared as much as I could for this, hoping that there was at least some time to prepare. The rug was simply pulled out from underneath me, but that's just the way it goes.”

On a personal note, I have worked closely with Jesse Laslovich during his time as Montana’s U.S. Attorney, and I hold him in the highest esteem as a law enforcement professional who has served Montana with honesty and integrity.

My prayers are with him and his family.