The state prosecutor's office investigates corruption, bribery, perjury, and election and ethics violations by public officials. Established by a 1976 Maryland constitutional amendment, the prosecutor is nominated by a commission and appointed by the governor for a six-year term. The prosecutor operates independently, but may investigate cases at the request of a state official or the General Assembly. The current state prosecutor is Robert A. Rohrbaugh, who was appointed in 2004.