# Sigal Chattah A Nevada Republican appointed **interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada** in March 2025 by Attorney General [[Pam Bondi]] under 28 U.S.C. § 546. When the statute's 120-day clock expired, Bondi designated her **first assistant U.S. attorney**, a move intended to elevate her to *acting* U.S. attorney under the [[Federal Vacancies Reform Act]] rather than let the appointment power pass to the district court under § 546(d). A federal district judge held she was not validly serving, and on **August 18, 2026** a unanimous Ninth Circuit panel affirmed — holding that the Attorney General cannot manufacture an acting U.S. attorney by naming someone first assistant after the vacancy has already opened, nor by delegating the office's entire set of functions and duties to one person. Trump nominated George Kelesis to the Nevada post in February 2026. The Solicitor General petitioned the Supreme Court for review in **United States v. Jackson, No. 26-304**, filed September 8, 2026. One of four 2025–26 appointments invalidated in the fight mapped by [[How a U.S. Attorney Is Appointed and Removed]]. ## See also - [[How a U.S. Attorney Is Appointed and Removed]] - [[Federal Vacancies Reform Act]] · [[Appointments Clause]] - [[John Sarcone]] · [[Alina Habba]] · [[Lindsey Halligan]] - [[Department of Justice]]