NJ Judges Replace Alina Habba Then DOJ Fires Successor

Alina Habba, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, has been removed as interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey after serving a controversial 120-day term marked by politically charged prosecutions against Democratic figures, including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Rep. LaMonica McIver. New Jersey federal judges, predominantly appointed by Democratic presidents, declined to extend Habba's tenure and instead appointed her first assistant, Desiree Leigh Grace, as the state's new U.S. Attorney, a rare judicial move that sparked accusations of political bias from the Trump administration. In response, the Department of Justice swiftly fired Grace, asserting that the judges' action was a politically motivated attempt to override presidential authority. Habba's nomination for a permanent appointment has been blocked by Democratic U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, who criticized her qualifications and alleged partisan prosecutions. The situation has highlighted tensions between the judiciary, the Justice Department, and political actors, with the Trump administration defending Habba and condemning the judges' decision as undermining the rule of law. Habba's tenure also included establishing an Election Integrity Task Force and initiating investigations into Democratic state officials, further fueling the partisan controversy surrounding her appointment.