Federal Judge Disqualifies Nevada’s Acting U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah Over Unlawful Appointment

A U.S. District Court judge has barred Nevada’s acting U.S. Attorney, Sigal Chattah, from overseeing four criminal cases, ruling her appointment unlawful and marking another blow to the Trump administration’s attempts to extend control over key federal prosecutor positions.

Judge David Campbell determined that Chattah was not legally serving in the role, making her involvement in ongoing cases improper. The Justice Department declined to comment on the ruling. Chattah, who previously chaired Nevada’s Republican National Committee, was first appointed in March for a 120-day interim term. However, as her tenure approached its July expiration, the Trump administration maneuvered to extend her authority under a separate federal statute, effectively bypassing the court’s ability to appoint a replacement.

Federal public defenders in Nevada challenged her authority, arguing her continued role violated federal law. They sought her disqualification and asked for pending cases under her supervision to be dismissed. Judge Campbell’s decision echoes similar rulings in other states where the Trump administration employed controversial methods to retain prosecutors beyond their legal limits.

In August, a federal judge in New Jersey found that Alina Habba, another Trump-appointed U.S. attorney and former personal lawyer to the ex-president, had also been unlawfully appointed. That ruling disqualified her from participating in federal cases, though the Justice Department is currently appealing. Similar appointments involving John Sarcone in New York, Bilal Essayli in California, and Ryan Ellison in New Mexico are also under legal scrutiny.

Chattah has also drawn attention for urging the FBI to investigate disproven claims of voter fraud from the 2020 election, an effort critics say was politically motivated to influence upcoming congressional races.

The ruling underscores growing judicial resistance to executive maneuvers that bypass standard appointment procedures, raising broader concerns about separation of powers and the politicization of federal law enforcement.