{"id":2646423,"date":"2026-08-18T09:55:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T13:55:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/appeals-court-rules-nevadas-top-federal-prosecutor-illegally-holds-office\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T10:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T14:00:00","slug":"appeals-court-rules-nevadas-top-federal-prosecutor-illegally-holds-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/appeals-court-rules-nevadas-top-federal-prosecutor-illegally-holds-office\/","title":{"rendered":"Appeals court rules Nevada\u2019s top federal prosecutor illegally holds office"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><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%2Fappeals-court-rules-nevadas-top-federal-prosecutor-illegally-holds-office%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=2646423&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 appeals court unanimously ruled that Sigal Chattah, Nevada\u2019s acting U.S. attorney, is serving unlawfully. The court persistent that her continued appointment violates federal law because she was not properly confirmed by the Senate and her interim term had expired. Although the ruling states she cannot supervise or participate in three federal criminal cases, it allows her to remain in the position temporarily pending a possible Supreme Court appeal. The legal issue centers on weather the Attorney General can designate someone as an acting U.S.attorney without proper Senate confirmation, which the court ruled she cannot. Chattah was initially appointed by President Trump in April 2025 on an interim basis,and her ongoing service sparked a lawsuit arguing her appointment was illegal.The appeals courtS decision aligns with a prior lower court ruling,emphasizing that her appointment violates federal vacancy statutes. Democrats celebrate the ruling, asserting that her appointment was inappropriate and should be vacated.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A federal appeals <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/courts\/\">court<\/a> unanimously ruled on Monday that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nevada\/\">Nevada\u2019s<\/a> acting U.S. attorney, Sigal Chattah, is serving in the position unlawfully.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Judges previously ruled in September that the state\u2019s <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> was serving in her position illegally after her interim term expired. The Trump administration appealed the ruling, but to no avail, as the latest court ruling determined. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4690854\/appeals-court-sigal-chattah-nevada-attorney\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Appeals court rules Nevada\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >top federal prosecutor illegally holds office<\/a> over lack of Senate confirmation<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4690825\/doj-send-1000-poll-monitor-midterm\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DOJ plans to send 1,000 poll monitors to watch midterm elections<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4690566\/trump-flock-surveillance-cameras-studied\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump says Flock cameras \u2018being studied,\u2019 will reveal stance in coming weeks<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Chattah is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cdc-exposed-inflated-covid-deaths-by-1600-throughout-the-election-violated-multiple-federal-laws-peer-reviewed-study-findsstate-local-governments-must-act\/\" title=\"CDC Exposed: Inflated Covid Deaths By 1600% Throughout The Election, \u201cViolated Multiple Federal Laws\u201d Peer-Reviewed Study Finds\u2026State, Local Governments Must Act\">violating federal law<\/a> by remaining in the office, but it upheld a lower court ruling that allows her to stay in the position pending a possible appeal to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"203\">Supreme Court<\/a>. For now, the ruling bars Chattah from supervising or participating in three federal criminal cases.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese cases present the question whether the Attorney General can make someone an Acting United States Attorney\u2014bypassing the usual requirement that a U.S. Attorney be confirmed by the Senate\u2014by designating that person as the first assistant to an already-vacant office of U.S. Attorney,\u201d the three-judge panel wrote. \u201cWe hold that the Attorney General cannot do so.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chattah was first appointed by President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a> in a 180-day interim capacity on April 1, 2025. She has been continuing to serve in the role while Las Vegas lawyer George Kelesis goes through the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"8765\">Senate<\/a> confirmation process to assume the position on a permanent basis. That process remains ongoing. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Kelesis remained in limbo, then-Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pam-bondi\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"11687\">Pam Bondi<\/a> sought to keep Chattah in the interim role by appointing her as first assistant U.S. attorney, which she said allowed the lawyer to serve as acting U.S. attorney under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act for 210 days, shortly before her interim period expired. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That sparked a lawsuit from the Nevada federal public defender\u2019s office arguing that the Trump administration\u2019s move violated the law.\u00a0Arizona District Judge David G. Campbell in September ruled that Chattah\u2019s continued appointment as acting U.S. attorney violated a federal statute stating that if a permanent U.S. attorney is not nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate within 120 days, judges of the Nevada District Court can appoint an interim U.S. attorney until the vacancy is filled.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The appeals court agreed, writing Monday that Chattah\u2019s latest appointment violated federal law on filling government vacancies. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act provision that the DOJ relied on, a first assistant could automatically become acting U.S. attorney only if that person held the first-assistant position when the vacancy occurred, the court ruled. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Attorney General [can\u2019t] create a de facto Acting \u200cU.S. Attorney \u2060by delegating all of the functions and duties of the U.S. Attorney to someone else,\u201d wrote U.S. Circuit Judge Eric Miller, a Trump appointee. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3485680\/trump-extends-tenure-la-prosecutor-bill-essayli\/\"><strong>TRUMP EXTENDS TENURE OF LA PROSECUTOR BEFORE END OF INTERIM ROLE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> Democrats celebrated the ruling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSigal Chattah has always been unfit to serve as Nevada\u2019s U.S. Attorney, and I\u2019m glad to see the Ninth Circuit agree her appointment is illegal,\u201d Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/SenJackyRosen\/status\/2089464542828912678\">said<\/a> in a post to X. \u201cIt\u2019s past time for her to vacate the position and leave the U.S. Attorney\u2019s office once and for all.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nevada\u2019s acting U.S. attorney, Sigal Chattah, is serving unlawfully, says court<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3142,"featured_media":2646424,"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\/2026\/08\/AP24137798799805.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32324,50752,36794,5592],"class_list":["post-2646423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-appeals-court","tag-federal-prosecutor","tag-legal-ruling","tag-nevada"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP24137798799805.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646423","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=2646423"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2646427,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2646423\/revisions\/2646427"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2646424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2646423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2646423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2646423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}