with Zachary A. Keller.
He was supposedly "appointed" by Bondi as part of a bundle of 3 nominees this past September but according to the Senate record, the nominations weren't acted on and were "returned to the President" (per their Rule), meaning a need for "renomination" in this year. Meanwhile, Bondi swore him in before they even acted on this.
PN519-3 — Zachary Keller — Department of Justice
Description
Zachary Keller, of Louisiana, to be United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana for the term of four years, vice Brandon B. Brown.
Organization
Department of Justice
Latest Action
01/03/2026 - Returned to the President under the provisions of Senate Rule XXXI, paragraph 6 of the Standing Rules of the Senate.
Date Received from President
09/15/2025
Committee
Senate Judiciary
This is the Senate Rule -
Return of Nominations to the President Under Senate Rule XXXI
Summary
Nominations that have been neither confirmed nor rejected by the Senate at the time the Senate adjourns sine die or for a period of more than 30 days are returned to the President pursuant to Senate Rule XXXI, clause 6. Pro forma sessions held during a recess of the Senate count as days in session and can prevent what would otherwise be a greater than 30-day recess that would trigger the return of nominations under the rule. The use of pro forma sessions in modern Senate practice means that the need to suspend Rule XXXI usually only occurs at the end of the 1st session of a Congress.
(snip)
I know there were a pile of rejiggering of the handling of nominations this past fall in the Senate so I don't know if he did get bundled into a unanimous consent to suspend the Rule or what. But if not, then he would be another bogus "appointee" and would only be "Acting".
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