A federal judge on Tuesday disqualified President Trump’s Acting US Attorney in Nevada, Sigal Chattah, and ruled her appointment is invalid.
Earlier this year President Trump appointed Sigal Chattah as the Interim US Attorney in Nevada. Shortly before her 120 day interim appointment expired, she resigned from the position and was reappointed as the Acting US Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Anti-Trump prosecutors immediately filed motions to disqualify Chattah, claiming this maneuver to leapfrog to an “Acting US Attorney” role was unlawful.
On Tuesday, US District Judge David G. Campbell, a George W. Bush appointee, said in a 32-page ruling that Chattah is “improperly serving” in her role as Acting US Attorney.
“Ms. Chattah is disqualified from supervising these cases or any attorneys in the handling of these cases,” Judge Campbell wrote.
Judge Campbell did not dismiss the indictments.
“Defendants’ motions are denied to the extent they seek dismissal of their indictments,” the judge wrote.
The judge reassigned Sigal Chattah’s cases to the District Judges in Nevada.
“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,” the judge wrote.
This is the second time a federal district court judge has disqualified one of President Trump’s Acting US Attorneys.
As previously reported, last month, US District Judge Mathew Brann, an Obama appointee, said Alina Habba is “not lawfully holding the Office of US Attorney” of New Jersey.
The Pennsylvania-based federal judge oversaw a challenge to Alina Habba’s authority because the judges in New Jersey had a conflict of interest after they ousted her from her position as interim US Attorney last month.
A group of federal judges over the summer declined to extend Alina Habba’s term as interim US Attorney of New Jersey after Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries launched a pressure campaign to oust her.
Habba resigned as Interim US Attorney and became Acting US Attorney for New Jersey after the Trump DOJ outmaneuvered the judges before her term expired.
President Trump recently said he will be filing a lawsuit to prevent Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) from blocking Alina Habba’s confirmation for US Attorney of New Jersey with the unconstitutional ‘blue slip’ custom.
