Strike Force Announced Amid Legal Questions
Talk about awkward timing. Sigal Chattah just announced a new Public Corruption Strike Force this week, declaring that:
“No stone will be left unturned to protect Nevadans from corruption, and no public official and/or agency is above the law.”
There’s just one problem: a federal judge has already ruled she’s not legally allowed to be Nevada’s top prosecutor.
Judge Drops the Hammer
Back in September, Judge David Campbell didn’t mince words when he ruled Chattah was “not validly serving as acting U.S. attorney”and that her involvement in criminal cases “would be unlawful.”
Read our prior coverage: Federal Judge Pauses Order But Says Nevada’s Top Prosecutor Sigal Chattah Still Isn’t Legally Serving
Campbell, whom President George W. Bush appointed, saw right through what he called the administration’s “personnel maneuvers” to keep Chattah in power.
Here’s how the scheme worked: Chattah was appointed as interim U.S. Attorney in March, but that job has a 120-day limit under federal law. So the day before her time was up, they played musical chairs – she resigned, got hired as a special attorney, then got designated as “first assistant,” which supposedly let her keep running the show.
The judge wasn’t buying it.
Campbell wrote:
“Its purpose would be defeated if the Executive Branch – the very branch Congress was trying to constrain – could choose whomever it wanted, whenever it wanted, and fill the vacancy simply by declaring that person to be first assistant.”
Strike Force Anyway
Despite the judge’s ruling that she can’t legally oversee criminal cases, Chattah went ahead and launched her strike force this week.
She’s claiming :
“public corruption in the State of Nevada has been a scourge on Nevada’s residents and business owners.”
Former Nevada U.S. Attorney Greg Brower, a fellow Republican, isn’t impressed.
“I’m not sure I’ve seen anything like this from a U.S. attorney’s office and I’m not sure that there’s a public corruption problem in Nevada such that a separate strike force like this is required.”
Even defense attorney Richard Wright, who says he’s pleased to work with local prosecutors rather than Washington bureaucrats, acknowledges the elephant in the room. Former federal prosecutor Kathleen Bliss diplomatically said she applauds efforts to fight corruption “where warranted” – emphasis on warranted.
What This Means for Nevada
Judge Campbell has stayed his ruling while the case goes to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, with oral arguments set for February 12. He made it clear he’s only pausing out of “deference and respect” for the Executive Branch, but he still believes “Ms. Chattah has not been validly appointed.”
Think about this: every investigation this strike force launches, every case they bring, every subpoena they issue – it’s all under a cloud of constitutional doubt. If you’re a small business owner or local official caught up in one of these investigations, you have to wonder: does the person running this show even have the legal authority to be doing it?
Nevada’s Democratic senators opposed Chattah from day one, calling her an “election denier who has advocated for political violence.” They hold the “blue slip” power that would block her Senate confirmation, which is why the administration resorted to these “personnel maneuvers” in the first place.
The Bottom Line
Former U.S. Attorney Brower put it best:
“The proof will be in the pudding. It’ll be interesting to see what cases if any come out of this.”
For Nevada conservatives who believe in the rule of law, this situation should be deeply troubling. We can’t fight corruption by ignoring the Constitution. We can’t defend law and order while playing fast and loose with federal appointment rules.
Contact your representatives and demand answers. Ask why an unconfirmed, legally questionable prosecutor is launching major initiatives with your tax dollars. This isn’t about partisan politics; it’s about whether we’re still a nation of laws, not personalities.
Until the appellate courts weigh in, Chattah’s strike force is building on quicksand. While she still has access to the DOJ letterhead and a podium, she is trying to establish ‘facts on the ground’ for an office that a federal judge has already ruled she occupies unlawfully.
In Nevada, she’s not just fighting crime; she’s fighting to prove she has the right to prosecute it. Her strike force launch feels less like a new era of law enforcement and more like a high-stakes branding exercise, governing via press release while the ground shifts beneath her feet.
And that’s not good for justice, Nevada, or anyone who believes the Constitution still matters.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
