Top WH aide Halligan sworn in as interim US attorney in district handling James mortgage fraud case

Senior White House aide Lindsey Halligan was sworn in as the interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Halligan, who was previously President Trump's defense lawyer, started her new position on Monday, CBS News reported. Trump appointed her to the position after U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert said he resigned on Friday for fear of being forced out over failing to prosecute New York Attorney General Letitia James for alleged mortgage fraud. Trump said that he had fired Siebert.

Per federal law, Halligan can only serve as interim U.S. attorney for 120 days, unless federal judges for that district court extend her appointment or she is confirmed by the Senate.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia quickly moves cases from filing to trial, handling significant national security cases, partly due to its proximity to Washington, D.C.

While at the White House, Halligan was part of the Trump administration's effort to remove "improper ideology" from the Smithsonian Institution and its museums, education and research centers, and the National Zoo.

Before becoming Trump's defense lawyer, Halligan handled insurance claims at a Florida law firm. She was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2014 and has never worked in a prosecutor's office. She also interned at the Miami Public Defender's Office and the Innocence Project.

Halligan was part of Trump's defense team in the classified documents case that Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith had brought. Trump pleaded not guilty, and the case was dismissed in November after he won the presidential election.