{"id":2530907,"date":"2026-01-07T10:03:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T15:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/halligan-ordered-to-defend-not-giving-up-us-attorney-job\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T10:05:29","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T15:05:29","slug":"halligan-ordered-to-defend-not-giving-up-us-attorney-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/halligan-ordered-to-defend-not-giving-up-us-attorney-job\/","title":{"rendered":"Halligan ordered to defend not giving up US attorney job"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhalligan-ordered-to-defend-not-giving-up-us-attorney-job%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2530907&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A federal judge in Virginia has ordered interim U.S.attorney Lindsey Halligan to explain within seven days why she continues to identify herself as the district&#8217;s U.S. attorney after a separate judge found her appointment &#8220;defective.&#8221; U.S. District Judge David Novak asked Halligan to justify why that identification would not be false or misleading, noting that Senior Judge Cameron McGowan Currie&#8217;s November 2025 decision &#8211; which tossed indictments Halligan brought against James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James &#8211; remains binding in the district as no stay has been issued. The Justice Department has appealed Currie&#8217;s ruling, and the dispute centers on whether former Attorney General Pam Bondi lawfully used interim appointment authority (and whether repeated interim appointments are permitted beyond a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >120-day statutory limit<\/a>). Bondi&#8217;s team and the DOJ argue she intended to vest Halligan with full U.S. Attorney powers and later ratified the appointment, while critics say the timing rendered the promotion unlawful.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Halligan ordered to defend not giving up US attorney job despite being disqualified&nbsp;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2237210\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A federal judge in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/virginia\/\">Virginia<\/a> ordered on Tuesday the lawyer appointed to serve as an interim U.S. attorney in the state to explain why she continues to appear to hold the position despite <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/federal-courts\/\">court <\/a>findings that she lacked the authority to sit in the role.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. District Judge David Novak of Richmond gave Lindsey Halligan seven days to respond in writing why she continues the &ldquo;identification of herself as the United States Attorney&rdquo; after Senior U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3897002\/james-comey-letitia-james-indictments-tossed-lindsey-halligan\/\">found in November 2025 <\/a>that her appointment was &ldquo;defective.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4409061\/maduro-hires-reagan-era-doj-attorney-narco-terrorism-case\/\">Maduro hires Reagan-era DOJ attorney in narco-terrorism case<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4408934\/abrego-garcia-cannot-be-rearrested-despite-recent-deportation-order\/\">Abrego Garcia says government can&rsquo;t re-arrest him despite recent deportation order<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4408027\/doj-urges-court-rule-california-ammo-background-check-unconstitutional\/\">DOJ urges court to rule California&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gun-owners-kept-in-the-dark-about-new-yorks-upcoming-background-checks-for-ammo\/\" title=\"Gun owners unaware of upcoming ammo background checks in New York.\">ammo background check<\/a> as unconstitutional<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/4409365\/us-seizes-sanctioned-oil-tanker\/\">US SEIZES SANCTIONED OIL TANKER AFTER TWO-WEEK PURSUIT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Halligan &ldquo;shall further explain why her identification does not constitute a false or misleading statement,&rdquo; Novak wrote in a three-page order.<\/p>\n<p>The Justice Department has appealed the case, pushing back against Currie&rsquo;s determination that Halligan was never properly installed as the district&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-muscles-out-chicago-prosecutor-hot-on-the-heels-of-powerful-dems\/\" title=\"Biden Muscles Out Chicago Prosecutor Hot on the Heels of Powerful Dems\">top federal prosecutor<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Currie&rsquo;s ruling did not expressly order Halligan to be removed from office. But Novak noted in his order that &ldquo;no stay has been issued&rdquo; yet regarding the appeals case.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Consequently, it remains the binding precedent in this district and is not subject to being ignored,&rdquo; Novak said.<\/p>\n<p>Halligan attracted notice after bringing charges against former FBI Director <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/james-comey\">James Comey<\/a> and New York Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/letitia-james\/\">Letitia James<\/a> last year.<\/p>\n<p>Currie threw out both indictments in a decision declaring Halligan had no authority to bring them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The ruling responded to arguments from Comey and James that the Trump administration unlawfully bypassed the traditional Senate confirmation process to install Halligan as interim prosecutor in September.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The debate sparked when Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Halligan to replace&nbsp;Erik Siebert.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Federal law empowers the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-ag-barr-authorizes-federal-prosecutors-to-pursue-substantial-allegations-of-voting-irregularities-before-2020-election-is-certified\/\" title=\"BREAKING: AG Barr Authorizes Federal Prosecutors to Pursue &quot;Substantial Allegations&quot; of Voting Irregularities Before 2020 Election is Certified\">attorney general<\/a> to appoint interim U.S. attorneys to fill vacancies when there is no Senate-confirmed official filling those roles. However, it limits those temporary appointments to 120 days.<\/p>\n<p>Critics argued that Bondi used up her allotted 120-day interim appointment on Siebert before he resigned in September, making her move to promote Halligan unlawful.<\/p>\n<p>&#8203;&#8203;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3899216\/what-happens-next-comey-james-cases-dismissed\/\"><strong>WHAT HAPPENS NEXT AFTER COMEY AND JAMES CASE DISMISSED?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Bondi&rsquo;s team has contended that the 120-day term limit does not bar her from making repeated interim appointments.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There is no question that the Attorney General intended to vest Ms. Halligan with the powers of U.S. Attorney and thus with the powers of a government attorney authorized to conduct criminal litigation &mdash; a fact that the Attorney General has confirmed by ratifying Ms. Halligan&rsquo;s appointment under her other authorities,&rdquo; the DOJ wrote in court filings in November.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Judge: Halligan must explain holding U.S. attorney post<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2530908,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25031757969870.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[35038,65797,70300,33577],"class_list":["post-2530907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-court-order","tag-halligan","tag-refusal-to-resign","tag-us-attorney"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25031757969870.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2530907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3142"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2530907"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2530907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2530911,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2530907\/revisions\/2530911"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2530908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2530907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2530907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2530907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}