Talk about mixed messages.
On the same day that Alina Habba resigned from the District of New Jersey, the two top officials leading Donald Trump’s Justice Department issued a hostile statement attacking Eastern District of Virginia judges rather than accept a decision that ex-White House aide Lindsey Halligan never lawfully served in the role of U.S. Attorney.
During a Substack Live, former federal prosecutor
and I unpacked the disconnect: Why (belatedly) respect the court’s judgment against Habba but refuse to acknowledge Halligan’s disqualification?As Rocah noted, Trump cares more about his Eastern District of Virginia cases.
“They’re doing that because I think Trump cares more about these cases against [Letitia] James and [James] Comey than probably anything else having to do with the DOJ,” Rocah noted. “That is like the ultimate revenge for him.”
The Justice Department’s subsequent press release announcing the District of New Jersey’s new top officials leaves the U.S. Attorney position vacant. Habba leaving the U.S. Attorney’s office for a new role as one of Pam Bondi’s advisors abandons the possibility of a Supreme Court battle on this issue.
It remains to be seen whether Trump’s Justice Department will appeal any of the cases against any of the other disqualified top prosecutors — Halligan, Sigal Chattah, and Bill Essayli — further.
For now, Halligan’s disqualification hasn’t been appealed, only ignored by the federal government.
Watch the full video at the top of this newsletter and my conversation with
below.
