A federal judge on Tuesday disqualified Nevada’s acting US Attorney Sigal Chattah from overseeing several criminal cases, ruling that the Trump appointee has remained in her temporary post beyond the legally allowed period. US District Judge David G. Campbell sided with defense lawyers who argued that Chattah’s authority expired in July. He ordered government attorneys handling the cases to notify the court within seven days that Chattah is no longer directing their work. A phone call seeking comment to Chattah’s office went unanswered Tuesday night, and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. This ruling marks the second recent setback for the Trump administration’s effort to extend the tenure of handpicked acting US attorneys beyond the 120-day limit set by federal law. In August, a judge reached a similar conclusion, ruling that Alina Habba, acting US attorney in New Jersey, was serving illegally. Under federal law, if a permanent US attorney is not nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate within 120 days, judges of the federal district court may appoint an interim to serve until the vacancy is officially filled, Campbell noted in his ruling.
