Trump's former lawyer steps down after appeals court disqualifies her.
The ex-lawyer for the former president has stepped down as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor. This comes after a judicial decision that invalidated her legal standing to occupy the role.
Acceptance of Resignation
US Attorney General, the Attorney General, accepted her stepping down on Monday. Bondi stated that the judicial decision made it "untenable" for the official to effectively run her office.
"Do not interpret following the order as giving up," Habba stated. "My fight will now reach across the nation."
Legal Background
The departure was triggered by a US appeals court ruled that she had been unlawfully serving as US attorney. This ruling is expected to impact many prosecutions in the Garden State.
The appellate judges declared that a interim role that bypassed Senate approval violated the statute on vacant positions.
Next Steps and Responses
The Attorney General added that she will continue working within the Department of Justice as a top consultant. They intend to seek further review of the court's action, in the hope of achieving a different outcome.
In a statement, she wrote that judges "must not second-guess the appointment of lawyers entrusted with performing the executive branch's core responsibility of prosecuting crime."
Record and Legacy
She praised her tenure and pointed out that while she was in charge, the state capital of Newark saw a significant drop in criminal activity. She also stated that the city of Camden experienced its first summer in half a century with no murders.
Connection to Donald Trump
Habba, originally became part of the former president's legal defense in 2021. Subsequently, she defended her client in his New York criminal case in 2024, leading to his guilty verdict on dozens of charges of financial record manipulation.
Before Habba took on the role of US Attorney, Donald Trump had revealed he was appointing her as his senior adviser during his second administration, calling Habba as a steadfast ally and a "tireless advocate for justice".
