Key Takeaways
- Lindsey Halligan, a prosecutor handpicked by Donald Trump, has been ruled by a judge to be unlawfully serving as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
- The ruling voids the charges she brought against former FBI Director James Comey and New York state Attorney General Letitia James.
- Halligan’s role as a top federal prosecutor is in limbo, and it is unclear whether she will continue to be employed in the U.S. attorney’s office.
- The Department of Justice is considering appealing the ruling and may still try to refile charges against Comey and James.
- Halligan’s appointment and actions have been marred by controversy, including accusations of possible prosecutorial misconduct.
Introduction to the Controversy
The controversy surrounding Lindsey Halligan, a former Miss Colorado beauty pageant contestant with no prior experience in criminal law, has been ongoing since her appointment as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Halligan was handpicked by Donald Trump to indict two of his political enemies, former FBI Director James Comey and New York state Attorney General Letitia James. However, her tenure has been marked by chaos and gaffes, including a ruling by U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie that she is unlawfully serving as a federal prosecutor. This ruling has voided the charges she brought against Comey and James, leaving the Department of Justice to determine how to proceed with the cases.
Halligan’s Appointment and Actions
Halligan’s appointment as interim U.S. attorney was met with controversy from the start. She had no prior experience in criminal law and was previously Trump’s personal attorney on civil cases. Her predecessor, Erik Siebert, had resigned after refusing to bow to pressure to charge Comey and James with disputed allegations of lying to Congress and fraud, respectively. Halligan, on the other hand, was willing to pursue the cases, and charged Comey just days after Trump publicly complained about the lack of action on the matter. However, her actions have been marred by accusations of possible prosecutorial misconduct, including the revelation that a grand jury did not see the full and final indictment it was supposed to approve before the foreperson signed the charging document against Comey.
The Ruling and Its Implications
The ruling by Judge Currie that Halligan is unlawfully serving as a federal prosecutor has significant implications for the cases against Comey and James. The ruling voids the charges brought by Halligan’s office, and it is unclear whether the Department of Justice will be able to refile the charges. The DOJ is considering appealing the ruling, but it is unclear whether this will be successful. In the meantime, Halligan’s role as a top federal prosecutor is in limbo, and it is unclear whether she will continue to be employed in the U.S. attorney’s office. A source told CNN that Halligan is not involved in internal DOJ discussions about whether the department will continue the cases without her, and it is not even clear whether she will report to her office in Alexandria.
The Department of Justice’s Response
The Department of Justice has responded to the ruling by stating that Halligan was not removed as a result of Currie’s ruling. An official close to DOJ headquarters denied that Halligan is being excluded from discussions about whether she is still considered a federal prosecutor. However, an internal email from Justice Department officials instructed the U.S. attorney’s office to refer to Halligan with a twice-misspelled title, raising questions about her status. As of early Monday morning, Halligan is still listed as the lead attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia’s website. The DOJ has not commented on the matter, and it is unclear what the next steps will be.
Conclusion and Next Steps
The controversy surrounding Lindsey Halligan’s appointment and actions as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia is ongoing. The ruling that she is unlawfully serving as a federal prosecutor has significant implications for the cases against Comey and James, and it is unclear how the Department of Justice will proceed. Halligan’s role as a top federal prosecutor is in limbo, and it is unclear whether she will continue to be employed in the U.S. attorney’s office. The DOJ’s response to the ruling has been unclear, and it is unclear what the next steps will be. One thing is certain, however: the controversy surrounding Halligan’s appointment and actions will continue to be a major story in the coming days and weeks.
