A federal judge lit into the White House in ruling that three federal prosecutors running the US attorney's office in New Jersey were serving illegally. The trio will remain in place pending appeal, reports the New York Times. Judge Matthew Brann wrote that the administration "has made clear that it cares far more about who is running the USAO-NJ than whether it is running at all," per Politico. The dispute is the latest flash point "in a battle that has been brewing across the country and among all three branches of government over who has the ultimate authority over US attorney picks," per the Washington Post.
The ruling by Brann, a conservative-leaning Obama appointee, comes after earlier decisions that pushed out Trump ally Alina Habba from the top leadership post in the New Jersey office. Habba, now at the Justice Department in Washington, dismissed the decision as "ridiculous" and an unconstitutional intrusion on executive power. Brann, though, says the opposite, accusing the White House of circumventing the Senate confirmation process for federal prosecutors.
"One year into this administration, it is plain that President Trump and his top aides have chafed at the limits of their power set forth by the law and the Constitution," he wrote. Brann also warned that relying on improper appointment methods could put "scores of dangerous criminals" back on the streets if their cases are tossed or convictions overturned.
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