(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .



Trump Loyalist Alina Habba Loses U.S. Attorney Post [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-07-22

Alina Habba, One of Trump’s “Best” (Worst) People, Blocked From Remaining U.S. Attorney– Congratulations Desiree Leigh Grace! July 22, 2025

Demagogue/Dictator wannabe Donald keeps repeating the awful “ginormous” lie that he only appoints the “best” people to posts in his administration. His MAGA die-hard cult still believes this, but federal judges living in the real world, not Donald’s “alternate universe,” definitely don’t. In a standing order issued on July 22, 2025, a panel of federal judges for the U.S. Federal District Court for the District of New Jersey blocked Trump appointee Alina Habba (41) from staying on the job as the Garden State’s permanent U.S. Attorney. These judges invoked a rarely used power to select a candidate of their own, Desiree Leigh Grace, to replace Habba. This appointment is effective at once, according to an order signed by the NJ District’s chief federal judge, Renee Marie Bumb. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/nyregion/alina-habba-nj-us-attorney.html

This unusual decision by the district court judges, according to the NY Times, came hours before Ms. Habba’s 120-day temporary term was set to end and could be undone by Trump. Donald had selected Habba for this key post in order to assume, as the Times stated, closer control of the Justice Department, more than any other president has done in the past half century. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/nyregion/alina-habba-nj-us-attorney.html The Times further noted that Habba had had no previous experience as a prosecutor or in criminal law before Trump had appointed her. She was just Trump’s former personal lawyer. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/nyregion/alina-habba-nj-us-attorney.html

In a previous blog post that I wrote on March 26, 2025, I stated that her loyalty to Donald was all that counted for him to put her in that sensitive federal position. I noted that Habba ridiculously called Trump, “the most ethical person I know” and that he also “reads a lot.” Habba even compared Donald to South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela!

When first appointed to the U.S. Attorney’s job, Habba more than hinted, as I said in my blog post, that she would probably go after key Democratic politicians. Well, less than two months into her job, Habba charged Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka and U.S. Representative La Monica McIver, both Democrats, after a clash occurred with federal immigration agents outside a Newark detention center they were seeking to visit. Ten days later, Habba moved to drop the trespassing charge. A federal court judge publicly criticized the decision makers in Habba’s U.S. Attorney’s office. Mayor Baraka is currently suing Habba for malicious prosecution, according to the NY Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/nyregion/alina-habba-nj-us-attorney.html

Many deputy U.S. Attorneys were planning to leave the NJ office, because Habba had “shattered morale” there. Habba boasted of her access to the White House, while at the same time, claiming she was “not political.” Many attorneys in that office were upset because Habba dissolved that office’s Civil Rights Division. Habba also put her vanity on full display for all to see.In an office named for crimefighter Frederick B. Lacey, she featured three pictures of herself. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/alina-habba-emotional-farewell-shattered-morale_n_687e0cdee4b06691ec24f524

Habba, in her brief 120 days in office, has faced strong opposition from NJ’s U.S. Democratic Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim. In addition to criticizing her for controversial arrests and Newark Mayor Barka’s lawsuit against Habba, they were upset with Habba’s creation of an “Election Integrity Task Force.” IMHO, such a group could easily abuse its powers by looking for non-existent “voter fraud.” This kind of “task force,” often pushed by GOPers, NJ.comNJ.comcould also make all kinds of arguments to suppress minority and Democratic voters. Civil rights groups have aptly criticized this task force as a “threat to democracy.” NJ.com , Colleen Murphy Because of all the opposition to Habba, her Senate confirmation to become permanent U.S. Attorney faced severe obstacles. Senators Booker and Kim, her home state Senators, commented that Habba had pursued “frivolous and politically motivated prosecutions.” They also declared that Habba “did not meet the standard” to become a U.S. Attorney. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/nyregion/alina-habba-nj-us-attorney.html

Todd Blanche, a Deputy U.S. Attorney General, who was previously Trump’s criminal defense lawyer, praised Habba on Sunday night, July 20, 2025, before Habba was to meet with NJ district court judges the following Monday. Blanche wrote on social media that Habba had the president’s “full confidence.” He added that “District judges should use their authority to keep her in place.” https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/nyregion/alina-habba-nj-us-attorney.html .

Habba met with the district judges on Monday, July 21, 2025, the group who held the power to extend her term. She tried to persuade them of her competence. However, according to several prominent NJ attorneys with knowledge of these discussions, Habba’s efforts to stay in that office failed. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/nyregion/alina-habba-nj-us-attorney.html

Habba’s replacement as U.S. Attorney, as previously noted, is Desiree Leigh Grace. Grace was appointed first assistant under Habba soon after Habba took over the U.S. Attorney post in March, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/nyregion/alina-habba-nj-us-attorney.html

According to the NY Times, Grace is a seasoned prosecutor. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/nyregion/alina-habba-nj-us-attorney.html

Grace previously clerked for NJ Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and forJudge Morton Greenberg of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. NJ.com

Again, had far too many Democrats not stayed home in November, 2024, former prosecutor Kamala Harris never would have even considered making an inexperienced ideologue like Alina Habba the U.S. Attorney in a major state like NJ or in any other state. U.S. Attorneys are in charge of prosecuting federal civil and criminal crimes, many of them involving complex matters. I repeat, ALL elections have consequences.

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/7/22/2334695/-Trump-Loyalist-Alina-Habba-Loses-U-S-Attorney-Post?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/

You are viewing proxied material from magical.fish. The copyright of proxied material belongs to its original authors. Any comments or complaints in relation to proxied material should be directed to the original authors of the content concerned. Please see the disclaimer for more details.