Judge Questions Harrigan’s Title as U.S. Attorney

A federal judge has asked Lindsay Harrigan to justify her self-appointment as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. This comes after a previous ruling deemed her appointment illegal.

In a three-page directive, U.S. District Judge David Novak instructed Harrigan to provide a written explanation within the next week. He wants clarity on why she believes her title should remain intact and why it shouldn’t be excluded from the indictment, as indicated in court documents.

“Ms. Harrigan will further explain why her identity does not constitute a false or misleading statement,” Novak stated.

There hasn’t been a response from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia when asked for comments.

Interestingly, Harrigan was appointed by President Donald Trump to fill the role following the resignation of Eric Siebert.

In November, previous charges against James Comey, the former FBI Director, and Letitia James, the former New York Attorney General, were dismissed by a judge who expressed concerns about Harrigan’s authority, noting that her appointment was illegal.

Novak referenced a ruling from U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Curry made on November 24. He noted that, though an appeal is in progress, no injunction has been issued, which keeps the earlier ruling valid.

In other developments, Trump has criticized Senate Majority Leader John Thune, suggesting that the Senate’s blue slip tradition is hampering the approval of Republican nominees for judicial and attorney positions. Trump expressed disbelief that far-left Democrats are controlling the process.

Additionally, another Trump-appointed U.S. attorney, Alina Haba, recently announced her resignation from her position as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor after a ruling found she held the role illegally.