Appeals court rules Sigal Chattah's Nevada U.S. attorney appointment was illegal

The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has unanimously ruled that Sigal Chattah was unlawfully appointed to lead federal prosecutions in Nevada. The decision upholds a lower court ruling, finding that Chattah’s continued leadership of the U.S. attorney’s office violated federal law regarding interim appointments.

The ruling represents a setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to extend the terms of handpicked U.S. attorneys beyond the legal limits set by federal law, a strategy intended to bypass the U.S. Senate confirmation process. Chattah, a prominent Nevada conservative, had been serving in the role after her initial interim term expired.

The White House previously nominated Las Vegas attorney George Kelesis to serve as the permanent U.S. attorney. While Kelesis must still undergo the Senate nomination process, the administration had argued that Chattah could continue serving while his nomination was pending. The administration may appeal this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.