Prosecutor to serve until U.S. Attorney for Oregon named

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Scott Asphaug will lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon until a new lead prosecutor is appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports Asphaug was named acting U.S. Attorney on Feb. 28 and on Saturday was appointed interim by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. Asphaug has worked for the U.S. Department of Justice for 16 years and before that was a Multnomah County prosecutor. He called the appointment “a privilege.” Oregon’s U.S. senators have sent to the White House the names of three finalists for the state’s U.S. Attorney’s job. The finalists are Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight, Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel and civil litigator Vivek Kothari.