Alina Habba successor fired from Justice Department

Desiree Grace has been removed as First Assistant U.S. Attorney after being picked by New Jersey’s federal judges to replace Alina Habba as the state’s top federal prosecutor.

“This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges, especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Bondi said Habba “has been doing a great job in making New Jersey safe again.”

“Nonetheless, politically minded judges refused to allow her to continue in her position,” she said.

The U.S. District Court judges voted not to extend the 120-day term of Habba as U.S. Attorney, which expires at 11:59 PM on Friday, and instead chose Grace as her successor.

Unless the Justice Department files a lawsuit, Grace is still set to replace Habba on Saturday morning.  Only the President, Donald Trump, can fire her.

“The district judges in New Jersey just proved this was never about law—it was about politics. They forced out President Trump’s pick, Alina Habba, then installed her deputy, colluding with the New Jersey senators along the way,” Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said after Grace was appointed.  “It won’t work. Pursuant to the President’s authority, we have removed that deputy, effective immediately. This backroom vote will not override the authority of the chief executive.”

Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim, who have been sharply critical of Habba’s tenure as U.S. Attorney and praised Grace’s appointment earlier today, excoriated Bondi’s decision to fire Grace in a joint statement.

“Trump’s Department of Justice is once again criticizing a court that acted within its authority, continuing a pattern of publicly undermining judicial decisions and showing disregard for the rule of law and the separation of powers,” the two senators said. “The firing of a career public servant, lawfully appointed by the court, is another blatant attempt to intimidate anyone that doesn’t agree with them and undermine judicial independence.”

“This Administration may not like the law, but they are not above it,” they continued. “The people of New Jersey deserve a U.S. Attorney who will enforce the law and pursue justice for the people of our state without partisanship or politics.”

This story was updated at 9:18 p.m. with comment from Booker and Kim.