A federal judge has taken a noteworthy step by disqualifying President Trump’s Acting US Attorney for Nevada, Sigal Chattah, declaring her appointment invalid.
This situation arises from Chattah’s earlier appointment by Trump as the Interim US Attorney in Nevada. Notably, just before her initial 120-day interim term was set to expire, she resigned and promptly secured reappointment as the Acting US Attorney for the District of Nevada.
In response, several anti-Trump prosecutors swiftly filed motions questioning Chattah’s new role, arguing that her transition into the Acting position was decidedly unlawful.
On Tuesday, US District Judge David G. Campbell—appointed by George W. Bush—issued a 32-page ruling indicating that Chattah is “improperly serving” as Acting US Attorney.
Judge Campbell elaborated, stating, “Ms. Chattah is disqualified from supervising these cases or any attorneys in the handling of these cases.” However, it’s worth noting that the judge did not dismiss the indictments at hand.
“Defendants’ motions are denied to the extent they seek dismissal of their indictments,” the judge clarified.
Consequently, Judge Campbell reassigned Chattah’s cases to the District Judges in Nevada, writing, “These cases shall be reassigned to the District Judges in Nevada to whom they were originally assigned. The undersigned judge will remain available to handle similar motions filed in other Nevada cases, if warranted.”
This incident marks the second occasion in which a federal district court judge has disqualified one of Trump’s Acting US Attorneys.
Previously, reports indicated that US District Judge Mathew Brann, appointed by Obama, found that Alina Habba was “not lawfully holding the Office of US Attorney” of New Jersey.
Judge Brann presided over a dispute concerning Habba’s authority, stemming from a conflict of interest among judges in New Jersey who had removed her from her interim position the previous month.
In the summer, a coalition of federal judges opted not to extend Alina Habba’s term as interim US Attorney of New Jersey, following a pressure campaign led by Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
After resigning from her interim post, Habba assumed the role of Acting US Attorney for New Jersey as a result of a strategic maneuver by Trump’s DOJ just before her term was set to expire.
In a bold move, President Trump recently announced plans to file a lawsuit aimed at preventing Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) from obstructing Habba’s confirmation for US Attorney of New Jersey, citing the unconstitutional practice known as the ‘blue slip’ custom.
