New Nevada Prosecutor Pick: White House SHOCKER Has DC Buzzing!

LAS VEGAS – The White House is taking another swing at filling the top federal prosecutor spot in Nevada. Last week, the Biden administration nominated Las Vegas attorney George Kelesis to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada. This move comes amidst ongoing legal battles surrounding the eligibility of previous appointees, a trend that’s become somewhat of a headache for the Justice Department in recent months.

New Nevada Prosecutor Pick: White House SHOCKER Ha...

Kelesis, a name familiar to many in Las Vegas legal circles as a seasoned criminal defense attorney, is slated to potentially replace Sigal Chattah. Chattah was appointed back in March of last year, but her tenure has been anything but smooth sailing. An appeals court is currently reviewing her eligibility to even hold the position, adding a layer of uncertainty to the entire situation.

Now, you might be wondering why there's so much fuss about eligibility. Well, Chattah is just one of several Trump administration nominees for U.S. Attorney whose appointments have been challenged in court. Similar questions have actually led to the departures of appointees in New Jersey and Virginia. It seems like there's been a real tightening of scrutiny on how these appointments are being handled.

Here’s the crux of the matter: U.S. attorneys, as the nation's top federal prosecutors, typically need to be confirmed by the Senate. That's the standard procedure. However, there's a loophole, or perhaps a provision, that allows the Attorney General to make temporary appointments. Critics, and there are plenty, argue that Attorney General Pam Bondi (under the previous administration) has been using this provision to keep appointees in place longer than is generally considered acceptable, even when there isn't bipartisan support for their confirmation.

A lower-court judge actually ruled back in September that Chattah was not validly serving in her role. However, they allowed her to continue overseeing cases while the appeal process played out. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments just last week, but they haven't issued a ruling yet. The nomination of Kelesis at this stage certainly suggests that the White House isn't holding its breath for a favorable outcome for Chattah. It's almost like they're preparing for the inevitable.

This isn't an isolated incident, either. Just last month, Lindsey Halligan, a known Trump loyalist who was acting U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, had to step down after a court dismissed cases she brought against James Comey and Letitia James, deeming her appointment illegal. The Justice Department is appealing that dismissal, but the writing seems to be on the wall.

And let's not forget New Jersey, where a federal judge ruled that Alina Habba served as U.S. attorney for longer than she was permitted. Habba ended up resigning in December after an appeals court upheld that ruling. The dominoes are definitely falling. Even Bill Essayli, the Trump administration's pick for U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California, was disqualified by a judge. He's still hanging around as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney, but the administration hasn't named another candidate for the top job. It's a bit of a mess, honestly.