Federal Appeals Court Disqualifies Alina Habba as NJ U.S. Attorney, Citing Unlawful Appointment
A federal appeals court disqualified Alina Habba as New Jersey's acting U.S. Attorney due to an unlawful appointment, leading to dismissed cases and a setback for the Trump administration.
SalonTrump loyalist Habba out as top NJ attorney after losing appeal
Boston HeraldCourt finds fed prosecutor’s appointment illegal
ReasonThe Third Circuit's Curious Opinion on the "De Facto" U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey
Western JournalAppeals Court Deals a Blow to the Trump Administration with Ruling Against Alina Habba
Overview
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit confirmed Alina Habba's disqualification from serving as New Jersey's acting U.S. Attorney, marking a setback for the Trump administration.
The court ruled Habba's appointment unlawful, citing violations of legal procedures that bypassed Senate confirmation and exceeded the permissible 120-day interim term without proper extension.
A federal judge dismissed criminal charges against James Comey and Letitia James, attributing this to the unlawful appointment of prosecutor Lindsey Halligan as interim U.S. attorney.
The appeals court panel, which included judges appointed by both President Bush and President Obama, reflected a bipartisan composition in its decision to uphold the lower court's ruling.
The Justice Department plans to appeal these rulings, potentially to the U.S. Supreme Court, while Habba has already been replaced by a career prosecutor in New Jersey.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by emphasizing the Trump administration's attempts to circumvent legal processes for appointing U.S. attorneys. They use evaluative language like "scheme" and "improper maneuver" to describe the administration's actions. The collective coverage highlights the court's rejection of these methods, portraying the outcome as a significant legal defeat.