Lindsey Halligan leaves post as US attorney after judges' sharp criticism

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Tue 20 Jan 2026 22.23 EST
Last modified on Tue 20 Jan 2026 22.24 EST


Lindsey Halligan, a Trump-appointed federal attorney who led the failed prosecutions of two of the president’s political opponents, has left her position at the US justice department, attorney general Pam Bondi said on Tuesday. The departure of Halligan, who previously served as Trump’s personal attorney, comes after multiple judges have sharply criticized her and cast doubts on her ability to lawfully remain in her position.

Halligan, who had no prosecutorial experience, was sworn in as interim US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia in September after the president pushed out her predecessor who had declined to bring charges against Letitia James, the New York attorney general, and James Comey, the former FBI director. Halligan oversaw indictments brought against James and Comey, which were criticized as politically vindictive, and a judge in November dismissed the cases.

The judge who threw out the cases ruled that Halligan had been unlawfully appointed and did not have the legal authority to bring the indictment against James and Comey.

Attorneys general can appoint interim US attorneys to serve 120-day stints, but Halligan’s appointment was deemed unlawful since her predecessor had already served 120 days, meaning federal judges in the district had the exclusive authority to fill the position. The Senate is required to confirm a US attorney within 120 days of their appointment.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/20/lindsey-halligan-us-attorney-leaves-office

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Bye Felicia.

REFERENCES

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143577500
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143580610
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143581102
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143594145
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143598122
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143598130
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143602066

[Buddyzbuddy]

1. Nah, nah, nah, nah, hey, hey, hey, good bye.

[FakeNoose]

2. Bye-bye Lindsay! The judge should have pulled your law license

... so you're smart to get out now.

[Simeon Salus]

3. She saw the mushroom

[democrank]

4. Good to see Halligan pay a price for her defiance.

She should lose her law license.

[LilElf70]

5. It sure

took the powers that be a long time to do this. What a useless party.

Farewell SFB

[Botany]

6. I guess it is back to being a shampoo model.

[mopinko]

7. o'donnel opened w this. from the article

The judge threatened to launch disciplinary proceedings against Halligan if she violated the order and continued presenting herself as a US attorney.

“No matter all of her machinations, Ms Halligan has no legal basis to represent to this Court that she holds the position. And any such representation going forward can only be described as a false statement made in direct defiance of valid court orders,” Novak wrote. “In short, this charade of Ms Halligan masquerading as the United States Attorney for this District in direct defiance of binding court orders must come to an end.”

according to o’d she was threatened w felony charges.

[Dulcinea]

8. Now she can work at Sephora.

Her true calling.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Or at

Hooters.

[JustAnotherGen]

10. She's not even remotely qualified

For that position.

[Bengus81]

11. Next up she becomes a "qualified" brain surgeon

[LetMyPeopleVote]

12. Embattled Trump DOJ prosecutor out after stinging court rebukes

This makes me smile

Embattled Trump DOJ prosecutor out after stinging court rebukes

— #TuckFrump (@realtuckfrumper.bsky.social) 2026-01-21T02:01:35.000Z

https://www.rawstory.com/lindsey-halligan-2674914897/

Embattled interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan is departing the Department of Justice, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Tuesday.

Halligan's departure comes at a time when President Donald Trump has put increased pressure on the agency to prosecute his political enemies. According to reports, Trump has privately raged that Bondi is "weak and ineffective." He also cornered some of his U.S. Attorneys during a recent photoshoot and told them to prosecute his enemies more quickly.

Halligan is a former insurance lawyer who represented Trump during his civil fraud case in New York in 2024. She was brought on as an interim U.S. Attorney last year to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Both cases have since fallen apart as courts ruled Halligan is illegally serving in her role.