Supreme Court challenge filed to Whitaker appointment
By Associated Press
Nov 16, 2018 4:19 PM CST
Acting United States Attorney General Matt Whitaker, center, departs following a Medal of Freedom ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)   (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — A prominent Washington lawyer is leading an effort to lure the Supreme Court into the dispute over the appointment of Matthew Whitaker as the new U.S. acting attorney general.

Lawyer Thomas Goldstein says the high court should rule quickly that President Donald Trump's appointment of Whitaker to temporarily lead the Justice Department is illegal. Goldstein was part of a legal team that is challenging Whitaker's appointment Friday in a pending Supreme Court case dealing with gun rights.

The filing asks the court to name Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as a party in the case, instead of Whitaker.

There is no deadline for action by the justices.

Goldstein is part of the legal team that is mounting a similar challenge in federal district court in Maryland.