DOJ defends Halligan's U.S. attorney status amid court clash over appointment validity

DOJ lawyers defended Lindsey Halligan’s continued use of the U.S. attorney title after a judge ruled her interim appointment invalid, arguing the Currie decision doesn’t bar her from all duties and blasting the demand for justification as an abuse of power; Novak ordered Halligan to explain why she uses the title, while Currie previously held the appointment violated the Appointments Clause and voided indictments related to James Comey and Letitia James, highlighting a high-stakes dispute over appointment authority in Virginia’s Eastern District.