Judge posts job opening for top prosecutor spot that DOJ claims Lindsey Halligan occupies

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3. Federal judges formally strip Lindsey Halligan of U.S. attorney title

This makes me smile

🚨BREAKING: Federal judges in eastern Virginia have moved to strip Lindsey Halligan, the embattled loyalist lawyer President Donald Trump handpicked to prosecute his enemies last year, of her alleged U.S. attorney title more than a month after a court formally disqualified her from the role.

— Marc Elias (@marcelias.bsky.social) 2026-01-20T17:37:42.990Z

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/federal-judges-strip-lindsey-halligan-us-attorney-title/

Federal judges in eastern Virginia have moved to strip Lindsey Halligan, the embattled loyalist lawyer President Donald Trump handpicked to prosecute his enemies last year, of her self-proclaimed U.S. attorney title more than a month after a court formally disqualified her from the role.

On Tuesday, M. Hannah Lauck, the chief judge of the Eastern District of Virginia, said in a court notice that since Halligan’s 120-day appointment — which was found to have been unlawful — formally ends Tuesday, the U.S. attorney title in the district would be vacant. Lauck also asked for qualified attorneys to apply to fill the role.

The move represents the latest development in the monthslong struggle between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and federal judges over who should lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

The notice and job posting come just days after Trump, in a desperate attempt to keep Halligan at the helm of the key U.S. attorney’s office, nominated her to the position for a second time.

In the court notice, Lauck said that because the Senate had not confirmed Halligan, federal judges in the district now had the authority to appoint someone to replace her.