New Jersey's top prosecutor resigns after court disqualifies her.
The ex-lawyer for the former president has resigned as the US Attorney for New Jersey. This comes after a judicial decision that invalidated her eligibility to occupy the role.
Attorney General's Statement
US Attorney General, Pam Bondi, accepted her stepping down on the start of the week. In a statement that the judicial decision made it "untenable" for Habba to perform her duties.
"Let no one confuse following the order as giving up," she declared. "My fight will now extend throughout the country."
Court Ruling
Her resignation follows closely on a federal appellate panel found that she had been unlawfully serving as the federal prosecutor. This judgment is expected to impact many criminal cases in New Jersey.
The court said that a acting appointment that bypassed the advice and consent of the Senate ran afoul of the statute on vacant positions.
Ongoing Legal Battle
Bondi said that the former prosecutor will stay on at the justice department as a senior adviser. Habba plans to seek further review of the ruling, aiming for a overturned decision.
In a statement, she argued that judges "cannot be permitted to countermand the President's choice of prosecutors tasked with executing the executive branch's core responsibility of enforcing the law."
Record and Legacy
She highlighted Habba's record and noted that under her leadership, the city of Newark saw a one-fifth decrease in offenses. It was also reported that the southern city of Camden had its first summer in 50 years free from homicides.
Background and Previous Role
Habba, was initially recruited to Trump's personal legal team in recent years. She later represented the former president in his business records case in the previous year, when he was guilty verdict on dozens of charges of document fraud.
Before assuming the role of US Attorney, Donald Trump had announced he was selecting her as his senior adviser if re-elected, labeling her as a steadfast ally and a "tireless advocate for justice".