Florida Bar targets Trump lawyer Halligan in ethics probe
Florida Bar targets Trump lawyer Halligan in ethics probe
The Florida Bar confirms an ethics probe into Lindsey Halligan, the former acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, amid complaints over her high-profile indictments.
The Florida Bar has opened an ethics investigation into Lindsey Halligan, the lawyer who briefly served as acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia last year after a controversial appointment by the Trump administration. A letter from the Florida Bar to the Campaign for Accountability confirms that an inquiry is ongoing, following complaints filed in Florida and Virginia about Halligan’s conduct during her tenure.
Bar officials describe the inquiry as an 'investigation pending' and say their role is to act as a fact-finder and to refer findings to a grievance committee. If the committee finds misconduct, the matter goes to the state court, which could suspend or revoke Halligan’s license to practice law—though that process can take years.
Halligan, a former Miss Colorado contestant turned home-insurance litigator, took the interim post in September despite having limited prosecutorial experience, with only a handful of cases in her record. Her appointment followed Erik Siebert’s departure after he refused to pursue charges against Comey and Letitia James.
During her time in Virginia, Halligan sought grand jury indictments against James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, accusing them of false statements to Congress and bank fraud, respectively. The move drew scrutiny and contributed to the complaints that are now under bar review.
Whether the investigation will lead to disciplinary action remains unclear and will hinge on the bar’s findings and the state grievance process. For now, Halligan’s case highlights the bar’s power to police ethics in high-profile political prosecutions and the potential impact on a lawyer’s license.
