On Monday, attorney Alina Habba made a bombshell announcement: She is resigning as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) District of New Jersey. Habba’s announcement followed a federal appeals court’s ruling that she was in the position illegally.
Although Habba was appointed by President Donald Trump, she was not confirmed by the U.S. Senate. And the appeals court ruled that maneuvers to keep her in that position were not lawful. Habba, however, will remain at DOJ as an advisor to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Now, Trump is blaming Republicans for Habba’s departure.
Newsweek’s Khaleda Rahman reported, “President Donald Trump has been caught on a hot mic blasting Republicans over the blocks on his U.S attorney appointments. In a widely shared video posted on X, the president can be heard speaking as members of the press are leaving an event at the White House. ‘You know, I can’t appoint anybody,’ Trump said. ‘I can’t appoint anybody. Everybody I’ve appointed, their time has expired. Then they’re in default, then we’re losing.”
Trump on Monday told reporters, “You’ve got a blue slip thing that’s horrible. It’s a horrible thing. It makes it impossible to appoint a judge or a U.S. attorney. And it’s a shame. And the Republicans should be ashamed of themselves that they allow this to go on.”
Rahman noted that Habba “is one of several acting U.S. attorneys around the country to have their appointments by the Trump Administration challenged on the basis that they stayed in the temporary jobs longer than the law allows.”
“(Habba’s) nomination faced opposition from New Jersey Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, both Democrats,” the Newsweek reporter wrote.
“The Senate’s ‘blue slip’ tradition gives Democratic home-state senators a say in the confirmation of federal judges and U.S. attorneys nominated to serve in their state. While the process is rooted in senatorial courtesy and aimed at ensuring local input in federal appointments, critics argue it is outdated, undemocratic and enables partisan obstruction…. One of Trump’s most outspoken legal defenders, (Habba) was appointed in March to serve as temporary term as acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, a powerful role charged with enforcing federal criminal and civil law.
“But with little federal prosecutorial experience, the state’s two Democratic senators signaled they would block her confirmation in the U.S. Senate.”
Read the full Newsweek article at this link.
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