The Trump administration has moved to replace Sigal Chattah as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada, nominating Las Vegas attorney George Kelesis for the role.
Chattah’s tenure in Nevada has been one legal controversy after another. Last September, a lawsuit challenged her appointment, claiming she was unlawfully occupying a position she was supposed to vacate months earlier. A federal judge disqualified her as acting U.S. attorney, though the ruling was paused pending appeal.
The nomination of Kelesis, a partner at the Las Vegas law firm Cook & Kelesis, comes just a day before a federal appellate hearing over the legality of Chattah’s appointment. The move also precedes the scheduled end of Chattah’s 210-day term as acting U.S. attorney.
Chattah, a prominent Trump ally who previously ran for Nevada attorney general, never received a Senate hearing after Nevada’s two Democratic senators pledged to block her confirmation. The Justice Department tried similar appointment strategies in New Jersey and Virginia, both of which were later ruled illegal.
Currently, Chattah is listed on the Nevada Department of Justice website as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney to the U.S. Attorney General. She has also appeared on Steve Bannon’s political podcast, War Room, a platform associated with the former White House strategist.
While Bannon’s name has surfaced in newly released documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein, there is no public record linking Chattah to any Epstein-related investigations.
George Kelesis has practiced in Las Vegas since 1981, served as an adjunct professor at UNLV Boyd Law School, and held a seat on the Nevada Tax Commission. He has also represented Republican National Committeeman Jim DeGraffenreid.
Sen. Jacky Rosen said she is reviewing Kelesis’ nomination, which the Senate received last night. The Department of Justice has not publicly explained the reasoning behind the leadership change in Nevada’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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