Federal Judges in Milwaukee Refuse to Extend Interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel's Appointment

Federal judges in Milwaukee announced on March 10 that they have decided not to extend interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel’s appointment beyond its expiration date of March 17.

“Federal judges decline to extend appointment for interim US attorney in Milwaukee Federal judges in Milwaukee are refusing to extend interim U”

ABC News

A majority of the judges said they will wait for President Donald Trump and the U.S. Senate to nominate and confirm a full‑time U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

ABC News

Schimel was appointed in November 2025 to a 120‑day interim term by Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Federal law allows a district’s judges to extend an interim U.S. attorney’s appointment until a permanent appointee takes the position.

Associated Press

The Eastern District’s judges said a majority declined to extend Schimel’s term and will let the presidential nomination and Senate confirmation process proceed.

The judges’ public statement emphasized that declining to extend Schimel’s interim appointment was not a critique of his office’s performance.

“The US District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin has declined to extend the tenure of the Trump administration’s interim US attorney in Milwaukee”

Bloomberg Law News

The court said it intended “no criticism or commentary” and added that “to the credit of that office… it has continued to represent the citizens of this district well.”

Schimel declined to comment when reached by phone.

Brad Schimel’s record and the politics around his appointment were noted across coverage.

He is a Republican who served four terms as Waukesha County district attorney and won election as Wisconsin attorney general in 2014.

Urban Milwaukee

He lost a 2018 re‑election bid to Josh Kaul, was later appointed a Waukesha County judge, and ran for the state Supreme Court in 2025 where he lost to Susan Crawford.

His interim appointment drew criticism from Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who said the administration was sidestepping the bipartisan nominating commission long used in Wisconsin.

Coverage placed the decision in a wider context of disputes over interim appointments.

“Judges Won’t Extend Schimel’s U”

Urban Milwaukee

One piece noted the Trump administration’s prior use of an interim nomination to install Alina Habba as U.S. attorney in New Jersey.

WPR

That report said Habba stayed on beyond her 120‑day tenure and that a federal judge later ruled she was “unlawfully” working as U.S. Attorney.

Reporters also noted that as U.S. attorney Schimel oversees federal criminal investigations and prosecutions, including the high‑profile prosecution of Hannah Dugan.