In Las Vegas, a judge has disqualified the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney in Nevada from presiding over several criminal cases. The ruling stated that she is not legitimately serving as the state’s chief federal prosecutor.
U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell removed Sigal Chattah from her supervisory role over four criminal cases. He sided with defense attorneys who maintained that her authority lapsed in July, rendering her service unlawful.
Judge Campbell ordered the case attorneys to report within a week that Chattah is no longer guiding their work but stopped short of dismissing the charges.
This marks the second recent challenge to the administration’s attempts to extend the terms of selected acting U.S. attorneys beyond the legal 120-day limit, affecting other states like California and New Jersey.
A similar decision was reached in New Jersey in August concerning acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, where the government’s unconventional legal actions were deemed improper.
Federal law stipulates that if a permanent U.S. attorney isn’t nominated and confirmed within 120 days, the district’s federal judges can appoint an interim attorney until the position is filled. Judge Campbell stated that Chattah’s ongoing role as acting U.S. attorney breached this statute.
Campbell took aim at the administration’s strategy of using a string of temporary appointments to allow Trump’s candidates to bypass the usual requirement that U.S. attorneys be confirmed by the Senate — something that generally requires a degree of bipartisan support.
Chattah, a conservative lawyer, drew opposition from Nevada’s Democratic senators, Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen.
