Justice Department and Federal Courts

The Justice Department again moved to remove a judge‑appointed interim U.S. attorney after Eastern District of Virginia judges selected veteran lawyer James Hundley to replace disqualified Trump appointee Lindsey Halligan, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche publicly asserting on X that “EDVA judges do not pick our US Attorney” and White House personnel chief Dan Scavino signaling Hundley’s termination. The action — with DOJ officials (including Bondi and Blanche) signing filings themselves in affected districts — mirrors a parallel Alina Habba dispute in which the department, after losing an appeal of her disqualification, bypassed a court‑appointed interim by installing its own officials, intensifying a clash over control of federal prosecutors.