Published by TrenBuzz.com | June 13, 2026
Key Points at a Glance – Sigal Chattah
- Sigal Chattah served as Nevada’s interim US Attorney since April 2025 under a contested appointment process.
- A federal judge ruled in September 2025 she was not validly serving in the role, disqualifying her from four indicted cases.
- Trump appointed Las Vegas attorney George Kelesis as her replacement in February 2026, pending Senate confirmation.
- The Ninth Circuit heard arguments on whether Chattah’s appointment was lawful and whether indictments under her tenure should stand.
- 116 former federal judges previously signed a letter calling her unfit for the role.
- Acting AG Todd Blanche has fired other US attorneys over similar disputes, citing Article II presidential authority.
For over a year, Nevada has had a question hanging over its top federal prosecutor’s office that few other states have faced: who actually has the legal authority to hold the job?
Sigal Chattah is an Israeli-born American attorney and politician who served as the interim United States Attorney for the District of Nevada since 2025. A federal judge ruled that Chattah is not validly serving as Nevada’s acting US attorney, a setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to keep one of Nevada’s most outspoken conservatives in the position.
The Disqualification Ruling
US District Judge David Campbell ruled the outspoken conservative cannot supervise prosecutions against four people indicted after she was named to the role. The case was brought by federal public defenders in Nevada, centered around whether the Trump administration pursued illegal personnel maneuvers that allowed Chattah to remain in the post after her first interim term expired in July 2025.
Enter Kelesis, and the Ninth Circuit
A three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, composed of two Trump appointees and one Clinton appointee, heard arguments on whether Chattah’s appointment was lawful and whether indictments secured under her leadership can be thrown out. The hearing came one day after the Trump administration nominated Las Vegas attorney George Kelesis as Nevada’s US Attorney, pending Senate confirmation.
The Broader Pattern Inside DOJ
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has taken an aggressive stance on personnel disputes elsewhere, writing on social media regarding another disputed US Attorney appointment: “Judges don’t pick U.S. Attorneys, @POTUS does. See Article II of our Constitution. You are fired.”
More than 100 former federal judges previously warned that Chattah’s conduct and public statements made her unfit for the role, a controversy that has shadowed her tenure from the start. Whether the Ninth Circuit upholds or overturns the lower court’s ruling could determine the validity of every prosecution Chattah oversaw during her contested time in office.
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Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and news reporting purposes only. All details are sourced from The Nevada Independent, Nevada Current, and Wikipedia as of February-September 2025 and June 2026. Legal proceedings referenced are ongoing. TrenBuzz.com does not make independent legal assessments. Readers are encouraged to follow official court sources for updates.