In blow to Trump, Virginia attorney Halligan who charged US President's 2 opponents leaves job as term gets over

Lindsey Halligan, the interim United States attorney in eastern Virginia who charged two of President Trump’s main perceived political opponents, is leaving her job, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Her departure comes after a judge ruled that she had finished her 120-day term and cannot stay beyond the said period.

It was not immediately clear who would now lead the US attorney's office in the Eastern District of Virginia.

Announcing Lindsey Halligan's exit, Pam Bondi said, “The circumstances that led to this outcome are deeply misguided. We are living in a time when a democratically elected President’s ability to staff key law enforcement positions faces serious obstacles. The Department of Justice will continue to seek review of decisions like this that hinder our ability to keep the American people safe.”

“By prosecuting the most serious offenders including violent criminal illegal aliens, murderers, and child abusers, Lindsey worked tirelessly to protect the more than six million residents of Eastern Virginia,” she said.

Pam Bondi continued: “Despite multiple, unnecessary legal obstacles placed in her path, Lindsey stepped forward at a critical juncture for our Nation and fulfilled her responsibilities with courage and resolve. Her departure is a significant loss for the Department of Justice and the communities she served. While we will feel her absence keenly, we are confident that she will continue to serve her country in other ways.”

During her tenure, Halligan secured indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

A judge later ruled that her appointment was unlawful and the indictments must be dismissed. She was also lately asked to not use US Attorney before her name.

US District Judge David Novak said, “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.”

The Justice Department had argued Halligan wasn’t required to relinquish her title and that a single judge didn’t have the authority to prevent it from asserting its legal position in the litigation. The department in a court filing said the judge’s “threat” amounted to “a gross abuse of power and an affront to the separation of powers.”

Before assuming her post in the Eastern District of Virginia, Halligan had no previous experience as a federal prosecutor or in handling Justice Department cases. Trump abruptly installed Halligan in September after her predecessor had resigned under pressure.

(With agency inputs)