Alina Habba Blocked From Handling Cases in Rebuke to Trump

Alina Habba, President Donald Trump’s pick to be the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey, was blocked from handling cases by a district court judge who said her appointment was invalid.

The ruling Thursday rejected Trump’s decision to keep Habba as acting US attorney when her interim appointment expired, even though the state’s federal judges chose her deputy to succeed her. Trump instead fired the deputy, Desiree Grace, and used an unusual set of maneuvers to retain Habba.