Nevada U.S. Attorney Appointed by Trump Disqualified from Cases
A federal judge has ruled that Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney for nevada, Margaret Chattah, was illegally serving in her position and disqualified her from overseeing multiple criminal cases. The ruling, issued by Judge Richard Campbell, marks the second recent setback for the Trump administration’s attempts to extend the terms of acting U.S. attorneys beyond the 120-day limit established by federal law.
The decision mirrors a similar ruling in August concerning Alina Habba, the acting U.S. attorney in New Jersey, who was also found to be serving illegally. According to federal law, if a permanent U.S. attorney isn’t nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate within 120 days, federal district court judges can appoint an interim until a permanent replacement is secured.
Campbell criticized the Trump administration’s strategy of utilizing temporary appointments to circumvent the Senate confirmation process, which typically requires bipartisan support. He specifically referenced the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, enacted by Congress to regulate the temporary filling of executive branch vacancies requiring presidential appointment and Senate confirmation, stating, “The procedure used by the government to appoint Ms. Chattah was never intended by Congress.”
Chattah, a conservative lawyer, faced opposition from Nevada’s Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, who pledged to block her permanent appointment. They described her as an election denier who has advocated for political violence and supported illegal actions by former President Trump.
Prior to her appointment,Chattah represented Nevada churches challenging state COVID-19 restrictions,arguing they violated First Amendment rights.She unsuccessfully ran for Nevada Attorney General in 2022, losing to Aaron Ford. She also represented one of six Nevada Republican Party members indicted for submitting false certificates to Congress claiming Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election in the state.
The appointment of Trump loyalists within the Department of Justice has raised concerns about the potential weaponization of the agency to pursue investigations and prosecutions targeting individuals perceived as political enemies by the former president. Last Thursday, former FBI Director James Comey was charged with lying to Congress in a case filed shortly after Trump reportedly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute him. Trump has also reportedly pressured the department to prosecute New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully sued him for fraud, and his pressure contributed to the resignation of a top federal prosecutor in Virginia.
requests for comment from Chattah’s office were unanswered as of Tuesday night, and the Department of Justice did not instantly respond to an emailed request.
