Legal Challenges Surrounding Alina Haba’s Appointment
Alina Haba, appointed by President Donald Trump, addressed issues on Fox News’ “Hannity” regarding her efforts to become a U.S. attorney for New Jersey, a position complicated by political maneuvering. Since July, she has been legally pursuing this role following a panel of federal judges deciding not to confirm her after her initial 120-day appointment expired. An Obama-appointed federal judge stated that Haba’s appointment was “illegal.” When asked for her reaction, Haba expressed her frustrations.
“It was a real battle in New Jersey,” Haba noted. “I was a candidate for the U.S. attorney position. Unfortunately, [Democrats] Corey Booker and Andy Kim severely hindered my chances, despite my efforts to connect with them, and the same goes for [Republican] Chuck Grassley.”
She elaborated on the challenges, explaining how she wasn’t granted a traditional blue slip, which affected the Senate’s ability to vote on many of Trump’s nominations, including hers. Eventually, the situation fell into the hands of judges—17 federal judges in New Jersey, to be precise.
On July 22, a committee of federal judges opted not to retain Haba as the interim U.S. attorney and instead appointed prosecutor Desairy Lee Grace. Attorney General Pam Bondy mentioned that the Department of Justice attempted to back Haba shortly after the ruling, labeling the judges as “fraudulent.”
Despite this, Bondy later removed Grace, reinstating Haba as the first U.S. attorney and then transitioning her to an acting role. However, a ruling from Pennsylvania Central District Judge Matthew W. Blanc on Thursday deemed Haba unqualified, pointing out that the defendants who contested her appointment had been “illegally” appointed as well.
“I’m the president’s choice and the choice of Attorney General Pam Bondi. I intend to serve this country to the best of my ability for years. But let me tell you, it’s really disheartening what’s happening,” Haba commented. “It’s frustrating, but it doesn’t surprise me. They take five minutes to voice their opinions and try to act as activists. Pam Bondi called it out today—we won’t bow to those trying to politicize the issue.”
Initially appointed as an interim U.S. attorney, Haba’s nomination was set to become permanent on July 1. However, her confirmation by the Senate is still pending.
In light of the recent ruling, Bondy expressed her intention to appeal on social media, asserting, “I’ll make an appeal right away.” She highlighted Haba’s significant contributions in New Jersey and committed to defending her against what she termed “activist judicial attacks.”
