The White House has named George Kelesis, a partner at the Las Vegas law firm Cook & Kelesis, as its nominee for Nevada’s U.S. attorney, a move that signals the end of Sigal Chattah’s time as Nevada’s top federal prosecutor.

It comes a day before a federal appellate court hearing over the legality of the Trump administration’s appointment of Chattah as the state’s top federal law enforcement officer on an interim basis. A judge in September disqualified her as the acting U.S. attorney, but the ruling was put on pause pending appeal. 

The nomination comes about two weeks before Chattah’s 210-day term as acting U.S. attorney was set to end. The Trump administration previously named her as interim U.S. attorney — which carries a 120-day term — but then pursued a series of personnel maneuvers that allowed her to continue leading the state’s U.S. attorney’s office. 

The Justice Department pursued similar moves in New Jersey and Virginia, where courts also ruled they were illegal. 

Chattah, a prominent Trump ally who previously ran for state attorney general, never had a Senate hearing — a requirement to remain in the position permanently — after Nevada’s two Democratic senators vowed to block her nomination. 

Kelesis has deep roots in Las Vegas — he has been practicing in the city since 1981 and has been an adjunct professor at UNLV Boyd Law School. He’s also served on the Nevada Tax Commission, according to a list of America’s Top 100 criminal defense attorneys.

Recently, he has served as a lawyer for  Nevada's Republican National Committeeman Jim DeGraffenreid in the so-called "fake elector" case.

Updated on 2/11/26 at 8:47 p.m. to add Kelesis' representation of DeGraffenreid.