Trump-picked prosecutor disqualified from investigating NY AG Letitia James, judge rules

A federal judge has blocked John Sarcone, a Trump-appointed interim U.S. attorney, from overseeing a criminal investigation into New York Attorney Letitia James. U.S. District Judge Lorna Schofield ruled that Sarcone unlawfully overstayed his 120-day appointment in the Northern District of New York. Consequently, all subpoenas issued by Sarcone in that investigation and another case have been quashed due to his unlawful tenure. The judge emphasized that when the executive branch bypasses congressional restraints and uses that power against political adversaries, it acts without lawful authority. This ruling is part of a recent trend where judges have found Trump-appointed prosecutors serving unlawfully. Similar issues have arisen with other acting U.S. attorneys, including Bilal Essayli in California, Sigal Chattah in Nevada, and Alina Habba in New Jersey, who were all disqualified or stepped down due to improper appointments. Trump ally Lindsey Halligan also faced disqualification in Virginia, with a judge questioning her continued use of the U.S. attorney title. The Department of Justice has accused judges of bias against Halligan. The Justice Department has not yet commented on the Sarcone ruling.