Appeals court disqualifies ex-Trump lawyer Alina Habba as New Jersey prosecutor

A US appeals court disqualified Alina Habba, former lawyer for Donald Trump, from serving as a top federal prosecutor for New Jersey, ruling her appointment violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. Habba was installed in an acting role after a district court rejected her nomination, bypassing Senate confirmation. The court found this tactic unlawful, potentially affecting numerous criminal cases in the state. The ruling came after three men facing criminal charges challenged Habba's authority. Lawyers challenging Habba's appointment stated this marks the first time an appeals court has ruled against President Trump's appointment process for US Attorneys. The Justice Department may now need to find a new prosecutor to supervise federal criminal cases in New Jersey.

A US appeals court has ruled that Alina Habba, Donald Trump's former lawyer, is unlawfully serving as acting US attorney for New Jersey. The court upheld a lower court's disqualification order, questioning the Trump administration's maneuvers to keep Habba in the position without Senate confirmation after her interim appointment expired. The ruling stated that the administration's efforts to elevate Habba faced legal and political barriers, impacting the stability of the US attorney's office. This challenge to Habba's appointment is one of several legal challenges to Trump administration prosecutor appointments, including a similar case in Virginia where a judge dismissed criminal cases due to an unlawfully appointed interim US attorney. The Justice Department has indicated it intends to appeal these rulings.