Judge Blocks Trump’s Attempt to Keep Alina Habba as Acting U.S. Attorney in New Jersey

Donald Trump’s attempt to keep his ally Alina Habba in place as acting US attorney for New Jersey has been struck down by a federal judge. In a 77-page ruling issued on Thursday, US District Judge Matthew Brann said the Trump administration had relied on “a novel series of legal and personnel moves” to keep her in the job after a panel of judges had already removed her.

The case came to a head after two defendants, Julien Giraud Jr. and Cesar Pina, challenged Habba’s authority to oversee their prosecutions. Judge Brann agreed with them, writing: “Faced with the question of whether Ms. Habba is lawfully performing the functions and duties of the office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, I conclude that she is not. And because she is not currently qualified to exercise the functions and duties of the office in an acting capacity, she must be disqualified from participating in any ongoing cases.”

The judge, a Republican who was appointed by Barack Obama, went further by voiding Cesar Pina’s indictment. He ruled that it was invalid because Habba had authorised it while serving unlawfully. “I disqualify Ms. Habba from engaging in the prosecutions of the Girauds and Mr. Pina, and from supervising the same,” he wrote.

“Any Assistant United States Attorney who prosecutes the Girauds or Mr. Pina under the supervision or authority of Ms. Habba in violation of my Order is similarly subject to disqualification”, reported Law & Crime.

Brann’s ruling highlights the messy legal manoeuvres the Trump administration used to hold on to key appointments, even when other judicial bodies had said otherwise. By finding Habba was unlawfully installed, the court has thrown a spotlight on the administration’s controversial handling of federal roles.

The decision now raises questions over other cases handled under Habba’s leadership, since anything she oversaw could be vulnerable to challenge. For Trump, it is another reminder of how his attempts to bend long-standing norms in Washington often end up in drawn-out legal battles.