In brief
In a significant legal development, U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell ruled that Sigal Chattah, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney for Nevada, is not validly serving in her role. The court's ruling disqualifies her from supervising four criminal cases, following an argument from defense attorneys who asserted her authority expired in July. This ruling underlines the administration's ongoing struggles with temporary appointments, which are intended to circumvent Senate confirmation.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A judge barred the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney in Nevada from overseeing several criminal cases Tuesday, ruling that she is “not validly serving” as the state’s top federal prosecutor.U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell disqualified Sigal Chattah from supervising four criminal prosecutions, siding with defense lawyers who argued that her authority expired in July and she is serving unlawfully. Campbell ordered government attorneys on the cases to report within seven days that Chattah is not directing their work but did not dismiss the indictments.This marks a second defeat for the administration's attempts to extend the tenure of acting U.S. attorneys in Nevada, California, and New Jersey beyond the 120-day limit established by federal law, which requires confirmation by the Senate.Chattah’s continued appointment as acting U.S. attorney violated that statute, according to Campbell's ruling. The judge expressed concerns about the administration exploiting temporary appointments to bypass Senate confirmation, which typically seeks bipartisan support.The ruling amplified the scrutiny facing conservative appointments, as Chattah faced opposition from Nevada’s Democratic senators, Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen.
