Lindsey Halligan, the loyalist President Donald Trump handpicked to prosecute his political enemies last year, has stepped down as the top federal prosecutor in eastern Virginia more than a month after she was formally disqualified from the position.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Halligan’s exit Tuesday evening in a message on social media that decried “serious obstacles” to the president’s ability to to make law enforcement appointments.
n fact, Halligan’s departure marked the culmination of a tumultuous, error-prone and legally illegitimate four-month stint as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. It also followed a pair of extraordinary moves from federal judges in the district.
Halligan left the post after a Trump-appointed judge rebuked her for continuing to refer to herself as a U.S. attorney following her disqualification, accusing her of ignoring court orders and undermining the rule of law. Separately, a federal judge also moved to formally strip Halligan of the title.
In September, Trump tapped Halligan, his former personal lawyer who had no prosecutorial experience, for a 120-day term as interim U.S. attorney shortly after he publicly ordered Bondi to target his political enemies more aggressively.
Just days after being sworn in, Halligan brought criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, two of Trump’s long-time foes. However, both Comey and James challenged the charges by arguing Halligan’s appointment was illegal.
U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie, who was assigned to review Comey’s and James’ arguments, concluded in November that Trump and Bondi circumvented federal vacancy laws and the Constitution in appointing Halligan.
Currie declared that the indictments against Comey and James could not stand because Halligan had been unlawfully serving as a temporary U.S. attorney when she brought the cases.
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U.S. attorney pretender Lindsey Halligan leaves office after federal judges force her out
