President Donald Trump used an appointment maneuver to keep acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba in her post after federal judges in the state, most of whom were appointed by Democratic presidents, named someone else to replace her.
Habba’s 120-day temporary appointment was set to expire at midnight Friday evening, meaning she would have had to step down after the judges instead chose one of her assistants, Desiree Grace, to succeed her earlier this week. The Senate had yet to take up her nomination.
But on Thursday, Trump withdrew her nomination to become the permanent U.S. attorney, according to a Justice Dept. official, and instead appointed her first assistant U.S. attorney, making her acting U.S. attorney again for the time being since that post is vacant, The Hill reported.
