The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, has found herself at the center of controversy following a series of unsolicited text messages she sent to a legal journalist, raising concerns about the conduct of federal prosecutors and the integrity of ongoing investigations.
Halligan, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to lead high-profile prosecutions, reached out to Anna Bower, a senior editor at Lawfare, after Bower shared an analysis of a case against New York Attorney General Letitia James. The case, which involves allegations of mortgage fraud, has drawn significant public attention and criticism, with many questioning its political motivations.
James had previously brought a civil fraud case against Trump, which resulted in a 2022 ruling against him. Critics argue that the current prosecution of James may be an attempt to retaliate against her previous actions.
Halligan, who has no prior experience in criminal prosecution but worked as a personal attorney for Trump, first contacted Bower on October 11, just days after the indictment against James was filed. In the message, Halligan claimed that Bower’s reporting contained inaccuracies, prompting a detailed exchange between the two.
Bower, who is not the original reporter of the story, noted that the New York Times had reported that James’ property in Norfolk, Virginia, had been occupied by her grand-niece without rent since 2020. This information, Bower argued, suggested that James’ use of the property did not align with the charges of misrepresentation.
In response, Halligan accused Bower of making unfounded assumptions and insisted that she should have consulted her office before publishing the analysis. However, when pressed for specific details about what was wrong with the report, Halligan refused to provide further clarification, citing the need to protect grand jury materials.
The conversation quickly turned contentious, with Halligan launching into a personal attack on Bower, accusing her of bias and suggesting that her reporting was untrustworthy. Bower maintained that she was open to correcting any errors but needed more information to do so.
Over the following days, Bower continued to reach out to Halligan for clarification, but received only insults and eventually no response. When Bower sought comment from the Department of Justice (DOJ), a spokesperson stated that Halligan was “attempting to point you to facts, not gossip,” but also warned that publishing private communications could damage future interactions with officials.
The incident has sparked broader concerns about Halligan’s professional conduct. Legal scholars have previously criticized her work, including an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey that was described as lacking factual basis. Halligan also faced scrutiny for presenting conflicting documents during a court appearance and for allegedly altering testimony in another case.
Legal professionals have expressed surprise at the nature of the exchange, with some comparing Halligan’s behavior to that of former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Others have raised questions about whether her use of Signal’s “disappearing messages” feature might violate federal rules requiring prosecutors to preserve evidence.
In a CNN interview, Bower emphasized that her sources within the legal community have never encountered a similar situation. The episode underscores growing doubts about Halligan’s credibility and professionalism as a prosecutor.
English 
Arabic 