Federal Judges Dismiss Alina Habba, Appoint New Jersey’s Next Top Prosecutor
Judicial Panel Denies Confirmation for New Jersey US Attorney
A federal judiciary panel, primarily consisting of judges appointed by Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, has decided against extending Alina Habba’s appointment as the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey. This effectively concludes her three-month effort to secure confirmation.
Habba, who served as the state’s lead federal prosecutor since March 24, was eligible for only 120 days in her interim role, which was set to expire at midnight on July 22. Since her confirmation was blocked, the state’s 17 federal judges could have voted to prolong her tenure, but that did not happen.
Following the vote, Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche accused New Jersey judges of trying to oust Habba before her term ended. He criticized what he called a “left-wing agenda” driving the move and suggested that activist judges undermine public confidence in the justice system.
Instead of Habba, a signed order appointed Desiree Leigh Grace, a member of the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office and Habba’s first assistant, to take over her responsibilities. This decision was announced by Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb.
Both Democratic senators from New Jersey, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, opposed Habba’s confirmation by withholding their “blue slips,” a traditional form of approval from home-state senators that can block nominations from moving forward.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also criticized Habba, accusing her of “maliciously indicting” a Democratic congresswoman over protest activities at an immigration detention center. Jeffries labeled Habba as an unqualified political figure and called for her rejection by federal judges considering her retention.
Jeffries’ opposition prompted a filing from the conservative group Article III Project, which accused him of improperly influencing federal judges to dismiss Habba. Additionally, Habba had previously threatened but not filed charges against Newark Mayor Ras Baraka related to a demonstration at an immigration detention facility.
In a related development, Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Albany, John Sarcone, was also blocked but managed to serve as a special assistant U.S. attorney after the Attorney General appointed him in a workaround, bypassing traditional judge approval.
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