In brief
U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell ruled that Sigal Chattah, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney for Nevada, cannot supervise several criminal prosecutions due to her authority expiring in July. The ruling underscored the administration's controversial use of temporary appointments to circumvent Senate confirmation requirements.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A judge has barred Sigal Chattah, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney for Nevada, from overseeing multiple criminal cases, declaring her appointment as not validly serving. The ruling from U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell disqualified Chattah from supervising four criminal prosecutions after defense lawyers successfully argued that her authority had expired in July, rendering her position unlawful.
In his decision, Campbell instructed government attorneys within a week to confirm to the court that Chattah is not involved in directing their efforts on the cases, although he did not dismiss the indictments themselves.
This setback marks the second occasion in recent weeks where the administration's attempts to prolong temporary appointments of acting U.S. attorneys beyond the legally stipulated 120-day limit have been struck down, following a similar ruling regarding the acting U.S. attorney in New Jersey, Alina Habba.
As per federal statute, the Senate must confirm a permanent U.S. attorney appointed by the president within 120 days; otherwise, federal district court judges can appoint an interim official. Judge Campbell noted in his ruling that Chattah's continued service contradicted this law.
The decision reflects the administration's broader strategy of employing temporary appointees to circumvent conventional bipartisan support typically needed for confirmation in the Senate, a tactic that has faced increasing scrutiny.
Chattah, who has conservative legal leanings, has faced opposition from Nevada’s Democratic senators, Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, who have expressed concerns about her tenure and qualifications for the role.
