Judges on the U.S. District Court of New Jersey have declined to retain President Trump’s pick for the state’s top federal prosecutor, Alina Habba.
Habba’s 120-day term was set to expire, and after convening behind closed doors Monday to consider extending her term, the judges voted to replace her.
Habba, who served as President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer and legal spokeswoman during his campaign, stirred controversy soon after she ascended to U.S. attorney.
In a brief order on Tuesday, the judges said they had appointed Desiree Grace, a career attorney and the office’s top assistant U.S. attorney, to the post.
However, Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday fired the judges’ pick for New Jersey’s new top federal prosecutor.
“Politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position, replacing Alina with the First Assistant,” Bondi said on social media. “This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges—especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers.”
The moves throw the future office leadership into question and set up a potential showdown between the Justice Department and the district’s federal judges.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche earlier accused the judges of trying to force out Habba.
“When judges act like activists, they undermine confidence in our justice system,” Blanche wrote on social media. “Alina is President Trump’s choice to lead—and no partisan bench can override that.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is also facing an ethics complaint over his public calls to federal district judges to remove U.S. Attorney Alina Habba from her position. (RELATED: House Dem Leader Faces Ethics Complaint After Pressing Judges To Oust Alina Habba)
“Habba is a woefully unqualified political hack who must go,” Jeffires said about the Trump appointee.
“She must be rejected by the Federal District Court Judges who are considering whether to retain her.”
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Personally I would like to see Hakeem Jeffries removed!! I am sorry but our government is a mess and is NOT doing its job for the American people.
Even though Habba was basically voted out, as I guess, these judges had the authority to do. The extreme part is that these same judges put in a replacement, isn’t it?
I “respectfully” insist that Hakeem Jeffries be immediately replaced by an American citizen that has some damn common sense and brains; and is NOT a hard core racist And Marxist.