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Attorney General Jeff Sessions is making aggressive law enforcement a top priority, directing his federal prosecutors across the country to crack down on illegal immigrants and "use every tool" they have to go after violent criminals and drug traffickers.

But the attorney general does not have a single U.S. attorney in place to lead his tough-on-crime efforts across the country. Last month, Sessions abruptly told the dozens of remaining Obama administration U.S. attorneys to submit their resignations immediately - and none of them, or the 47 who had already left, have been replaced.

"We really need to work hard at that," Sessions said when asked Tuesday about the vacancies as he opened a meeting with federal law enforcement officials. The 93 unfilled U.S. attorney positions are among the hundreds of critical Trump administration jobs that remain open.

Sessions is also without the heads of his top units, including the civil rights, criminal and national security divisions, as he tries to reshape the Justice Department.

U.S. attorneys, who prosecute federal crimes from state offices around the nation, are critical to implementing an attorney general's law enforcement agenda. Both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations gradually eased out the previous administration's U.S. attorneys while officials sought new ones.

Sessions said that until he has his replacements, career acting U.S. attorneys "respond pretty well to presidential leadership."

But former Justice Department officials say that acting U.S. attorneys do not operate with the same authority when interacting with police chiefs and other law enforcement executives.

"It's like trying to win a baseball game without your first-string players on the field," said former assistant attorney general Ronald Weich, who ran the Justice Department's legislative affairs division during Obama's first term.

"There are human beings occupying each of those seats," Weich, now dean of the University of Baltimore School of Law, said of the interim officials. "But that's not the same as having appointed and confirmed officials who represent the priorities of the administration. And the administration is clearly way behind in achieving that goal."

Filling the vacancies has also been complicated by Sessions not having his second-highest-ranking official in place. Rod Rosenstein, nominated for deputy attorney general - the person who runs the Justice Department day-to-day - is still not on board, although he is expected to be confirmed by the Senate this month. Traditionally, the deputy attorney general helps to select the U.S. attorneys.

Rosenstein, who served as U.S. attorney for Maryland, has also been designated, upon his confirmation, to take on the responsibility of overseeing the FBI's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and any links between Russian officials and Trump associates after Sessions was forced to recuse himself.

Rachel Brand has been nominated for the department's third-highest position as associate attorney general. She has also not been confirmed.

By March of Obama's first year in office, the Senate had confirmed the deputy and associate attorneys general, along with the solicitor general. The Senate had also confirmed an assistant attorney general for the national security division.

When Obama's first attorney general, Eric Holder, launched an ambitious plan to reform the criminal-justice system, it was the U.S. attorneys on the ground who were in charge of carrying out his plan to stop charging low-level nonviolent drug offenders with offenses that imposed severe mandatory sentences.

Now, Sessions is taking steps toward reversing that policy - without his top prosecutors nominated or confirmed.

Last month, Sessions sent a memo to his acting U.S. attorneys and assistant U.S. attorneys directing them to investigate and prosecute the most violent offenders in each district. He also traveled to Nogales, Arizona, on April 11 where he directed his 5,904 federal prosecutors to make illegal immigration cases a higher priority and work to bring felony charges against who cross the border illegally.

This week, the attorney general flies to Texas and California to meet with law enforcement officials about his priorities. But, until he gets his U.S. attorneys on board, Sessions will be hampered in moving forward with new policies, former Justice Department officials say.

"An acting U.S. attorney doesn't speak with the same authority to a police chief or to a local prosecutor as a Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney does," said Matthew Miller, a former Justice Department spokesman in the Obama administration. "If you're a Democrat, you're probably happy to have these positions filled by career officials because they're less likely to pursue some of the policies that Jeff Sessions supports. But if you're a supporter of the president, you probably want them to move on those positions."

The U.S. attorney process could be delayed many more months because of what is known as the "blue slip" process in Congress, which dates to the early 1900s. Traditionally, the administration consults with the senators of each state before choosing U.S. attorneys. Sessions said the Justice Department will ask for help from Congress and "a number of [names] are going over now." The Senate Judiciary Committee sends a blue piece of paper to each senator to voice their approval or disapproval of a U.S. attorney nominee from their home state.

The attorney general said Tuesday that the U.S. attorney process "does take some months and has traditionally." Sessions himself was asked to resign as the U.S. attorney for Alabama in March 1993 by President Bill Clinton's attorney general, Janet Reno, who, like Sessions, asked all her U.S. attorneys to resign and didn't begin replacing them for a few months.

The Washington Post's Julie Tate contributed to this report.

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A month after dismissing federal prosecutors, no U.S. attorneys in place at Justice Department - Chicago Tribune

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Chris Mattei has been trying to raise his profile since leaving the U.S. attorneys office.

Chris Mattei, a former federal prosecutor who helped send former Republican Gov. John G. Rowland back to prison, opened an exploratory campaign Wednesday, becoming the second Democrat in 24 hours to begin testing his viability in the open race for governor in 2018.

With a subtle nod to the anti-Trump resistance now energizing Democrats, Mattei cast himself as a career public servant, a prosecutor of corrupt public officials, Wall Street financiers, investment advisors and gun traffickers ready for a campaign of citizen engagement.

This is a time for citizenship, Mattei said in an announcement video. And, what I believe is that if we are to resist whats happening in Washington, that work starts right here.

Mattei joins Jonathan Harris, a former state senator, top Democratic Party official and commissioner of consumer protection, in filing exploratory papers Wednesday. Harris announced his plans Tuesday evening after stepping down as commissioner.

It was no surprise that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, decided against seeking a third term, but his announcement last week was earlier than expected, leaving some better-known Democrats unprepared to take the first formal steps toward entering what is likely to be a crowded race in both parties.

Middletown Mayor Dan Drew, a Democrat, opened an exploratory committee in January. Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo is expected to soon follow, with state Sen. Ted Kennedy Jr. among the list of other potential Democratic candidates.

Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and Attorney General George Jepsen have not ruled out running for the Democratic nomination. Bridgeport Mayor Joseph P. Ganim, who returned to office in 2015, recently asked the State Elections Enforcement Commission if his felony conviction would bar him from the states public financing program should he run.

By entering politics via a statewide race, the 38-year-old Mattei is following a difficult path typically taken only by wealthy self-funders. He will test the appeal of an outsider to Democratic delegates in a time when Republicans will work to tie Democratic candidates to the unpopular Malloy.

What we need now more than ever is a peoples campaign built by us for us in every city and town in this state, Mattei said. If we are willing to work for it, we can build a just and growing economy. We can create jobs that last and pay a decent wage. We can create an open and effective government that puts the interests of average, working families at the center of every decision we make.

Mattei, who is married and the father of three, lives in Hartford. Since leaving the U.S. attorneys office as the chief of its financial fraud and public corruption unit in 2015, he has been in private practice with Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder.

In 2014, he helped convict Rowland ofconspiring with Lisa Wilson-Foley, a congressional candidate, and her husband, Brian Foley, to violate campaign finance laws.

Another corruption case may have left him with enemies in Democratic circles: He helped oversee an investigation that derailed the 2012 congressional campaign of former state House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden.

Donovans campaign manager pleaded guilty and another top aide was convicted at trial on charges related to a conspiracy to bribe Donovan with illegal campaign contributions.

Donovan was not charged and was never shown to have knowledge of the scheme.

A half-dozen Republicans have formed exploratory or candidate committees.

Rep. Prasad Srinivasan, R-Glastonbury, has raised $138,944 since forming a candidate committee in December. Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti formed a candidate committee two weeks ago.

Republicans with exploratory committees include: Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, making his third attempt; Tim Herbst, the Trumbull first selectman and 2014 nominee for state treasurer;Peter Lumaj, the 2014 nominee for secretary of the state; and Steve Obstinik, the 2012 nominee for Congress in the 4th District.

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Mattei becomes 3rd Democrat to explore run for governor - The CT Mirror

Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersSanders: I dont know if Ossoff is a progressive Five takeaways from the Georgia special election Sanders: I don't consider myself a Democrat MORE (I-Vt.) said Tuesday night that he still does not consider himself a Democrat despite taking part in a Democratic National Committee (DNC) unity tour with the party's new chairman, Tom Perez.

"No, I'm an Independent," Sanders said when asked by MSNBC's Chris Hayes whether he now identifies as a Democrat.

"If the Democratic Party is going to succeed and I want to see it succeed it's gonna have to open its door to independents," he continued. "There are probably more independents in this country than Democrats or Republicans. It's got to open its doors to working people and to young people, create a grassroots party. That's what we need."

Sitting alongside Perez during a joint interview, Sanders said that he wants the Democratic Party to focus on key issues for progressives, such as the decline of the middle class, the "need" to take on wealthy interests and unite around "Medicare for all."

When asked whether the party supports the idea of "Medicare for all," Perez argued that the party believes "healthcare is a right, not a privilege."

"I think the unity that we've shown in the recent efforts by [President] Trump to repeal the Affordable Care Act has been an energizing force for Democrats, independents and others who share the values of inclusion and opportunity," he added.

"We have shared values. We all believe America works best when everyone has a chance to succeed, when we have shared prosperity and not just prosperity for a few."

The pair are traveling the country this week on a "Come Together and Fight Back" tour to rally grassroots enthusiasm and focus on bringing the party together after a difficult presidential campaign last year that created divisions between progressives, led by Sanders, and the more moderate wing of the party, led by its eventual nominee, Hillary ClintonHillary Rodham ClintonChaffetz decision stuns Washington Putin-linked think tank crafted plan to swing election for Trump: report Trump draws parallels between Patriots and his White House win MORE.

Some establishment Democrats have criticized Sanders for not joining the party, while he has tried to assert his influence on it. But progressives have argued that the Democratic Party needs independents to expand and should open its arms to those new voters who may not fully identify with the party.

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Sanders: I don't consider myself a Democrat - The Hill

AUGUSTA, Maine Democrat Adam Cote has made his long-contemplated 2018 run for governor official, becoming the first well-known Democrat to enter the race to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Paul LePage.

Cote, a 44-year-old Sanford attorney and Army veteran, has been out of politics since he finished second in the 2008 primary in Maines 1st U.S. House District. The seat was won by Chellie Pingree, who still holds it.

But Cote impressed as a moderate in the field, raising more than $650,000 and beating former legislators Michael Brennan and Ethan Strimling, who have since been Portland mayor. In a statement, he admitted he might not have the political pedigree of some other candidates but brings valuable experience to the campaign.

I have not spent much time in Augusta, but I have learned leadership through 20 years as a soldier in places like Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan and 16 years in the private sector as both a small businessman and a renewable energy attorney, he said.

Cote said in an interview that politics in Augusta need more civility, focus and leadership including a Democrat with the ability to unite his own party following fractures that opened in recent elections.

If ever theres a reason for folks to say look, elections have consequences and we have to be able to win and govern, I think that message is very clear to us now, he said. We have a lot more important things to be done and that is getting back the Blaine House and having a strong and aggressive economy to grow our agenda.

Cote has long been running behind the scenes and has been publicly mulling a run since December. Other potential Democratic candidates include Attorney General Janet Mills, former Maine Senate President Justin Alfond of Portland and Lee Auto Malls Chairman Adam Lee of Cumberland.

He joins independent Maine State Treasurer Terry Hayes of Buckfield, a former Democratic legislator, as the only candidates to file who are likely to mount serious bids the 2018 after her filing last week. Cote will run as a privately financed candidate, according to the Maine Ethics Commission.

Three other candidates Republican Deril Stubenrod of Clinton, Democrat Patrick Eisenhart of Augusta and Libertarian Richard Light of Liberty have also filed to run, but theyre seen as longshots.

Cote, a Sanford native, lives with his wife, Pauline, and their five children. He is a graduate of Colby College and the University of Maine Law School and won the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Afghanistan and the Combat Action Badge for his role in caring for fellow soldiers after a December 2004 suicide bombing in Mosul, Iraq.

In 2013, he received the White House Champion of Change award from former Democratic President Barack Obamas administration for his work as a veteran working to advance clean energy and climate security.

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Democrat Adam Cote to run for governor in Maine as political outsider - Bangor Daily News

James Mackler, an Iraq War veteran and lawyer in Nashville, announced Sunday that he is running for Senate, becoming the first Democrat to try to take the seat of Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) in 2018.

As a soldier, I know the strength of teamwork, cooperation and the benefits of diversity to accomplish a mission, Mackler told The Huffington Post. I know that true leadership really comes from a sense of duty, and without some change in this country, I really worry about the future of my family and those of every Tennessean. My wife and I want to raise our daughters in a nation that celebrates the best of America, not in a country thats as divided as we are now.

Tennessee handily went to Donald Trump in the 2016 election, and just two of its 11 members of Congress are Democrats. If Mackler gets through the primary, hell no doubt face an uphill battle to win a Senate seat.

Still, state and local Democrats said Tuesday that theyre excited about him, with some saying he may be the strongest Democratic statewide candidate theyve had since Harold Ford Jr., who served in the House before losing to Corker in a close 2006 Senate race.

I think were getting a good candidate that can excite people here, said Gary Bynum, chair of the Democratic Party in Davidson County, which encompasses Nashville.

You have to have the right candidates at the right time, and thats what James is, added Holly McCall, chair of the Williamson County Democratic Party in suburban Nashville.

Tennessee has been seeing the same surge in local Democratic activism thats popping up around the country. Davidson County used to see about 10 people, other than the executive committee, at its regular meetings. But nearly 200 people showed up in January, and 180 people filled out forms to start volunteering. Since then, Bynum said, committee meetings have been getting about 100 people on average.

McCall said shes seeing the same thing at her meetings. Oh my gosh, she said.I would say our membership has at least tripled.

McCall is also the recruitment chair for Emerge Tennessee, which trains women to run for office. The group, she said, has had no trouble recruiting women to run since Trump was elected.

Mackler said no particular event had inspired his decision to run, and instead repeatedly pointed to political divisions in Washington as a motivating factor.

The fact is, Washington is a mess, our country is divided, our leaders refuse together to solve problems, and I feel called to service, he said.

Mackler also refused to point to specific areas where Corker has fallen short, and he avoided any of the populist or anti-Trump rhetoric that has been firing up the base since the election.

The timing is right for a candidate who understands that our representatives in D.C. are ineffective and is willing to work to change that, Mackler said. Its not about being a Democrat.

Corker has not yet said whether he will run for re-election. Ive been busy carrying out my activities here, he said Monday.Ive been focused on that Im going to continue to be focused on that. As far as speculation about what Im going to do or not do, Id like to talk about that at the appropriate time.

Candice Dawkins, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Republican Party,said Tuesday that the party was confident that voters would continue to support Republican candidates in 2018. As a cautionary tale, she pointed to therough timeDemocrats had with their Senate candidate in 2012.

While Democrats might be excited about potential Senate candidates in 2018, they are still the party whose voters nominated The Washington Posts worst candidate of 2012, she said. The State Democrat party eventually disavowed Mark Clayton and refused to do anything to promote or support him. Sen.Corker won re-election with 65 percent of the total vote in Tennessee. The Tennessee Republican Party is committed to delivering the same kind of result in 2018.

Democrats have 25 seats to defend in the 2018 cycle, compared to just nine for Republicans. Ten of the Democratic seats are in states that Trump won last year.

Tennessee is not especially high on the list of potential pick-ups for Democrats right now, with more attention instead going toward Arizona and Nevada. But the fact that there are candidates willing to come out and run in places like Tennessee or Texas, where Rep. Beto ORourke (D) has announced hell challenge Sen. Ted Cruz (R) has been encouraging to Democrats.

Democrats in Tennessee are energized and have been since the election. ... There has been a huge response to James Macklers announcement as a candidate for Senate, many people already asking where they can volunteer and donate money, said Mary Mancini, chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party. Sen. Corker has spent too much time in Washington and has lost touch with the people he serves in Tennessee. ... Its time for him to retire.

Want more updates from Amanda Terkel? Sign up for her newsletter, Piping Hot Truth, here.

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Iraq War Vet Is First Democrat To Jump Into Tennessee Senate Race - Huffington Post