Trump's former lawyer steps down in the wake of judicial rules against her service.
The ex-lawyer for the former president has stepped down as the US Attorney for New Jersey. This comes after a court battle that challenged her eligibility to occupy the role.
Acceptance of Resignation
US Attorney General, Pam Bondi, confirmed her stepping down on the start of the week. In a statement that the court's "flawed" ruling made it unworkable for Habba to perform her duties.
"Let no one confuse adherence to the ruling as defeat," Habba stated. "My fight will now stretch across the country."
Court Ruling
Habba's exit was triggered by a US appeals court determined that she had been serving in violation of the law as US attorney. This judgment is likely to affect numerous prosecutions in New Jersey.
The appellate judges declared that a acting appointment that bypassed Senate approval ran afoul of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.
Ongoing Legal Battle
Bondi said that Habba will stay on at the justice department as a high-level advisor. They intend to challenge the decision of the disqualification, with hopes of a reversal.
On a social media platform, the Attorney General argued that judges "should not be able to countermand the appointment of attorneys responsible for performing the executive branch's core responsibility of criminal prosecution."
Record and Legacy
Bondi highlighted Habba's record and said that during her run, the city of Newark saw a significant drop in crime. Additionally that the southern city of Camden experienced its initial homicide-free summer since 1974 without a homicide.
Connection to Donald Trump
Habba, originally became part of Trump's personal legal team in 2021. She went on to defended her client in his New York criminal case in 2024, which resulted in his guilty verdict on dozens of charges of financial record manipulation.
Earlier, her appointment to the role of US Attorney, the former president had announced he was naming her as his presidential counsellor in a potential future term, describing the lawyer as a steadfast ally and a relentless legal advocate.
