The Trump administration has appointed a new candidate for Nevada’s top federal prosecutor following challenges to its previous pick’s eligibility, highlighting ongoing difficulties in securing Senate approval for certain U.S. attorney nominees.

Last week, the White House announced the nomination of George Kelesis, a veteran criminal defense attorney in Nevada. If confirmed, Kelesis would replace Sigal Chattah, who was appointed in March 2023 but whose eligibility remains under review by an appeals court.

Chattah is among several Trump nominees for U.S. attorney positions who have faced legal challenges to their appointments. Similar eligibility questions have recently forced appointees in New Jersey and Virginia to leave their positions, though another in California continues to serve with a different title.

While U.S. attorneys typically require Senate confirmation, the law allows the Attorney General to make temporary appointments. Attorney General Pam Bondi has employed strategies to extend the tenure of appointees who lack sufficient bipartisan support for confirmation, sparking court challenges from defendants and resistance from judges who question the legality of these appointments.

In September, a lower court ruled that Chattah was not validly serving as U.S. Attorney but permitted her to continue overseeing several cases during the appeal process. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments last week but has not yet issued a ruling. The decision to nominate Kelesis suggests the administration does not anticipate a favorable ruling in Chattah’s case.

The pattern of contested appointments extends beyond Nevada. In Virginia’s Eastern District, Lindsey Halligan, a Trump loyalist who had initiated prosecutions against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, announced her departure last month after a court ruled her appointment illegal and dismissed those cases. The Justice Department has appealed the dismissals.

In New Jersey, Alina Habba resigned as U.S. Attorney in December after an appeals court upheld a ruling that she had exceeded the legally permitted term for her temporary appointment. Meanwhile, in California’s Central District, Bill Essayli, though disqualified from serving as acting U.S. Attorney, remains the highest-ranking prosecutor under the title of First Assistant U.S. Attorney, as no replacement candidate has been nominated.

At last week’s appeals hearing, federal lawyer Tyler Anne Lee argued that Chattah can legally continue as acting U.S. Attorney while Kelesis undergoes the nomination process. If Kelesis is not approved or his nomination is withdrawn, Lee contended that Chattah could serve for an additional 210 days.

Kelesis may face an easier path to Senate confirmation than his predecessor. Nevada’s Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen strongly opposed Chattah’s appointment, labeling her an extremist, but have not expressed similar opposition to Kelesis. Cortez Masto’s spokesperson indicated that the senator would conduct a “tough, thorough interview with Kelesis.”

Registered as a nonpartisan voter, Kelesis has contributed to both Democratic and Republican campaigns throughout his career. He has practiced law in Las Vegas since 1981, specializing in white-collar criminal defense and tax litigation. He currently chairs the Nevada Tax Commission and serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas’ law school.

Like Chattah, Kelesis has represented one of the Nevada Republicans accused of submitting false certificates to Congress claiming Trump won Nevada’s presidential vote in 2020. However, Chattah is generally viewed as more controversial. Her unsuccessful 2022 campaign for state attorney general was marred by accusations of using racist language about her opponent, Democrat Aaron Ford. She has repeatedly echoed Trump’s false claims of election fraud in 2020 and represented churches challenging Nevada’s COVID-19 restrictions.

The ongoing saga in Nevada reflects broader tensions in the judicial appointment process under the current administration and highlights the complex legal questions surrounding temporary appointments to these critical positions in the federal justice system.