Lindsey Halligan, a former prosecutor for the Justice Department recognized for charging two of Donald Trump’s political adversaries, is currently under investigation by Florida state authorities.
The Florida Bar confirmed an investigation into the 36-year-old Halligan through a letter addressed to the nonprofit Campaign for Accountability.
This nonprofit had lodged complaints accusing Halligan of falsely presenting herself as a US attorney, continuing to sign court documents with that title despite a judge ruling her appointment as invalid.
Donald Trump had appointed Halligan as the interim US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, even though she lacked experience as a federal prosecutor.
Before this role, Halligan, a former beauty queen, served as a White House aide and was also one of Trump’s attorneys.
She spearheaded legal actions against ex-FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James; however, these cases were dismissed after a federal judge found her appointment to be unlawful.
Halligan’s conduct ‘violated the professional rules of conduct both of Virginia and Florida,’ Michelle Kuppersmith, Campaign for Accountability’s executive director, told CBS News.
‘We want to encourage state bars to continue doing their duty where they see fit,’ Kuppersmith said.
Lindsey Halligan, a former Department of Justice prosecutor as the interim US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, is under investigation by the Florida Bar Association
Halligan, 36, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump at the US Open in September
Halligan left her role in January after US District Judge David Novak barred her from continuing to present herself as interim US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Novak warned he would initiate disciplinary proceedings if she kept identifying herself as a US attorney in court filings.
‘No matter all of her machinations, Ms. Halligan has no legal basis to represent to this Court that she holds the position,’ Novak wrote.
In a scathing filing, he added that ‘this charade of Ms. Halligan masquerading as the United States Attorney for this District in direct defiance of binding court orders must come to an end.’
The letter sent by Florida’s bar association noted that it had been following the ‘developments’ surrounding Halligan.
‘We already have an investigation pending,’ it read.
Halligan was copied on the letter, which indicated that she was aware of the bar association’s investigation.
Halligan stepped down from her role in January after US District Judge David Novak ordered her to stop ‘masquerading’ as the top federal prosecutor for eastern Virginia
The investigation into Halligan could ultimately result in the former Trump administration official being disbarred, though the process could take years.
Investigated cases are referred to a grievance committee, which is an organization made up of community volunteers.
At least one–third of its members are non–lawyers, according to the Florida Bar Association.
The panel functions similarly to a grand jury, but within the legal profession.
It determines whether there is probable cause that an attorney – such as Halligan, in this case – violated professional rules.
A recommendation is then sent to Florida courts for a final determination.
On Wednesday, the Department of Justice posted a notice in the Federal Register seeking greater authority to review state bar investigations.
The proposal would allow the department to review complaints and allegations filed against DOJ attorneys.
The investigation that could potentially result in Halligan being disbarred will be extensive and could take years to be resolved
Trump nominated Halligan to serve as the interim US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. She had no experience as a federal prosecutor
The full complaint against Halligan by the Campaign for Accountability nonprofit claimed that her prosecution of Comey and James ‘appear[ed] to represent a serious breach of her ethical obligations.’
It asked for Halligan to be stopped from ‘abusing her position and her Florida bar license for improper purposes.’
Kuppersmith, the nonprofit’s executive director, told The Hill that she hopes the Florida bar ‘takes its duties seriously and carries out a thorough investigation.’
When Halligan stepped down from her role in January, she said that judges ‘repeatedly treated my appointment as disqualifying.’
‘The court’s remedy did not match its rhetoric,’ she added then.
She left the Department of Justice shortly after leaving her supposed role as interim US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The DOJ is still appealing the ruling that deemed Halligan’s appointment unlawful and tossed out Comey and James’ attempted prosecutions.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Halligan, the Florida Bar and the Department of Justice for comment.
