(KNOX) – University of North Dakota graduate and North Dakota U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider is preparing to return to his private law practice in Fargo. With the second Trump administration, Schneider, a Democrat, says he expects to be replaced by a Republican-appointee.
Schneider was appointed by President Biden in the fall of 2022.
“When I came in, there wasn’t a need for any course correction,” Schneider said. “This is a high functioning office… It kind of felt like getting the keys to a Ferrari, in a lot of ways.”
Schneider replaced acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl, who’d taken over for Nicholas Chase after he was appointed a Cass County District Court Judge. Schneider served in the North Dakota Senate from a Grand Forks district for a number of years before he was defeated. In 2018, he was the Democratic candidate for North Dakota’s U.S. House seat.
“U.S attorneys, come and go,” Schneider said. “This is never going to be a career for me. We (U.S. Attorneys) likely only have a number of years in the job before you make way for the next person. And whoever that person is I would be cheering that person on.”
His uncle, the late John Schneider, was North Dakota U.S. Attorney from 1993 to 2000. He died of a brain tumor in 2001.
Several attorneys have expressed interest in becoming the next U.S. Attorney for North Dakota. Among them are East-Central District Court Judge Wade Webb, who confirms that he had recent meetings with staff members of both Senators Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven. Sources say others who want to be considered are Minot lawyer Andrew Schultz, East-Central District Judge Nicholas Chase, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Rodenbiker, and Fargo lawyer Trent Barkus.
Attorney General Drew Wrigley, who served as U.S. Attorney under two previous Republican administrations, says he will announce in 2025 that he will seek re-election in 2026.
FOLLOW US FOR INSTANT UPDATES!
