US Attorney General Pam Bondi has assigned a new title to US Attorney Lindsey Halligan amid legal challenges from former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James regarding Halligan’s appointment.
A federal judge, Cameron Currie, is set to decide whether Halligan will be disqualified as US Attorney following a motion filed by Comey. Comey, who was indicted in September by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia on charges of making false statements and obstructing a congressional proceeding, faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
Comey has moved to dismiss his criminal case, arguing that it constitutes “vindictive prosecution.” He also questioned the legitimacy of Halligan’s appointment as Interim US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, referencing two other cases in his challenge.
In response to these objections, Bondi issued an order retroactively granting Halligan the position of “special attorney.” In her statement dated October 31, Bondi wrote: “On September 22, 2025, I exercised the authority vested in the Attorney General by 28 U.S.C. § 546 to designate and appoint Lindsey Halligan as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.”
Bondi further clarified: “For the avoidance of doubt as to the validity of that appointment, and by virtue of the authority vested in the Attorney General by law, including 28 U.S.C. § 509, 510, and 515, I hereby appoint Ms. Halligan to the additional position of Special Attorney, as of September 22, 2025, and thereby ratify her employment as an attorney of the Department of Justice from that date going forward.”
As special attorney, Halligan is authorized to conduct both civil and criminal legal proceedings before judges and magistrates. Bondi stated: “As Special Attorney, Ms. Halligan has authority to conduct, in the Eastern District of Virginia, any kind of legal proceeding, civil or criminal, including grand jury proceedings and proceedings before United States Magistrates and Judges.”
Bondi also specified that if a court limits Halligan’s authority as special attorney to certain matters only: “In the alternative, should a court conclude that Ms. Halligan’s authority as Special Attorney is limited to particular matters, I hereby delegate to Ms. Halligan authority as Special Attorney to conduct and supervise the prosecutions in United States v. Comey (Case No. 1:25-CR-00272) and United States v. James (Case No. 2:25-CR-00122).”
