After a three-month battle over the legality of her appointment, Alina Habba has resigned from her place because the Appearing U.S. legal professional for the District of New Jersey.
She introduced her resignation as U.S. legal professional in a social media put up on Monday. She’s going to stay serving as “Senior Adviser to the Lawyer Common for U.S. Attorneys.”
The resignation comes after a protracted authorized battle about whether or not she may serve within the U.S. legal professional position with out Senate affirmation.
In August, a federal choose dominated that she was serving within the place “with out lawful authority” and disqualified her as New Jersey’s high federal regulation enforcement officer. A federal appeals courtroom unanimously upheld that call final week, and the Division of Justice has not appealed that call.
“Because of the Third Circuit’s ruling, and to guard the soundness and integrity of the workplace which I really like, I’ve determined to step down in my position because the U.S. Lawyer for the District of New Jersey,” Habba mentioned in her assertion. “However don’t mistake compliance for give up. This determination won’t weaken the Justice Division and it’ll not weaken me.”“Following the flawed Third Circuit determination disqualifying Alina Habba from performing her duties within the U.S. Lawyer’s workplace for the District of New Jersey, I’m saddened to simply accept Alina’s resignation.
“Following the flawed Third Circuit determination disqualifying Alina Habba from performing her duties within the U.S. Lawyer’s workplace for the District of New Jersey, I’m saddened to simply accept Alina’s resignation,” Lawyer Common Pam Bondi mentioned in an announcement. “The Division of Justice will search additional overview of this determination, and we’re assured it is going to be reversed. Alina intends to return to steer the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the District of New Jersey if this happens.”
Regardless of the rulings, Habba remained within the place after Lawyer Common Pam Bondi named her a “Particular Lawyer to the Lawyer Common,” although a number of judges delayed proceedings to contemplate the legality of her place.
Alina Habba attends her swearing-in as interim US Lawyer Common for New Jersey, within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, March 28, 2025.
AP
Earlier than she was appointed as U.S. legal professional, Habba served as a private protection legal professional for President Donald Trump in his New York civil fraud case and defamation trials. Final month, a federal appeals courtroom upheld a $1 million penalty towards Habba and Trump for bringing a frivolous lawsuit towards former FBI Director James Comey and Hillary Clinton.
The Trump administration has confronted rising headwinds over its efforts to put in Trump loyalists as high prosecutors in U.S. attorneys’ workplaces throughout the nation, struggling a string of courtroom defeats as judges increase issues they’re actively disregarding the regulation.
Final month, a choose threw out each felony instances towards Comey and New York Lawyer Common Letitia James after figuring out that Lindsey Halligan, a former insurance coverage lawyer and White Home aide with no prosecutorial expertise, was unlawfully appointed to steer the Japanese District of Virginia U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace.
Whereas Bondi beforehand mentioned the administration would attraction that ruling, as of Monday, no attraction has been filed, and final week, a grand jury rejected an effort by the administration to revive its case towards James.
A rising refrain of judges for the Japanese District of Virginia has raised issues that the administration seems to be defying the order that disqualified Halligan by persevering with to incorporate her signature and title on authorized filings.
On Monday morning, Lawyer Common Bondi and Deputy Lawyer Common Todd Blanche issued a joint assertion attacking judges for questioning Halligan’s legitimacy within the position, and accused them of “participating in an unconscionable marketing campaign of bias and hostility.”
“Lindsey and our attorneys are merely doing their jobs: advocating for the Division of Justice’s positions whereas following steerage from the Workplace of Authorized Counsel,” the assertion mentioned. “They don’t should have their reputations questioned in courtroom for ethically advocating on behalf of their shopper. This Division of Justice has no tolerance for undemocratic judicial activism.”
