A federal appeals court ruled on Dec. 1 that Trump administration appointee Alina Habba is disqualified as U.S. attorney for New Jersey.
The new ruling came from a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
“It is apparent that the current administration has been frustrated by some of the legal and political barriers to getting its appointees in place,” the court said in a written opinion.
President Donald Trump appointed Habba as interim U.S. Attorney in March, and later submitted her nomination to the Senate.
That nomination was blocked and never came up for a vote. When her term expired after 120 days, a court appointed the next-in-command to fill the role on July 22: first assistant to the U.S. Attorney Desiree Grace.
Lawsuits were filed by three New Jersey defendants facing prosecution under Habba. They alleged that she holds the position unlawfully, and they seek to have their cases dismissed….