Trump’s DOJ Sidesteps Norms to Boost Ally as US Attorney (1)

President Donald Trump’s administration sidestepped tradition this week and criticized judges who sought to bypass his ally as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey — a pattern that may repeat itself in other Democratic-leaning states.

The actions of the Justice Department to shield interim US Attorney Alina Habba, Trump’s former personal attorney, could foreshadow other fights over chief federal prosecutors holding temporary posts in blue states like California, New York and Nevada.

Alina Habba

Photographer: Francis Chung/Politico/Bloomberg

Federal judges in New Jersey said Tuesday they would not extend Habba’s four-month tenure, the longest she could serve without US Senate confirmation. When ...