If there’s anyone in New Jersey who has perfected the art of being a standup philospher who can sling a convincing tall tale, it’s Cory Booker.
If you didn’t get that reference, stop reading now and go watch Mel Brooks’ History of the World Part I.
Sen. Cory Booker said this week he has received assurances from the White House counsel’s office that Alina Habba, currently serving as interim U.S. Attorney in New Jersey, will not be nominated for the position on a permanent basis.
What is Booker afraid of? After all, it was Habba who said she’s coming for New Jersey’s political corruption, naming Booker and Governor Phil Murphy by name.
Of course he wants to drive the messaging to get her out of the position.
That assurance has not been verified with anyone besides Spartacus himself. Neither the White House or the Department of Justice have confirmed the New Jersey senator’s claim.
Speaking to the New Jersey Globe on Tuesday, Booker said he had been in direct contact with the Trump administration regarding the temporary appointment of Habba, a former attorney for Donald Trump and a politically polarizing figure, who is gaining a positive reputation among New Jerseyans as being a non-nonsense, tough on crime prosecutor.
“I was told that she is temporarily there, and I feel like I’ve gotten assurances that we’re going to work to find a different person for permanency,” Booker claims.
The appointment of Habba to the interim role sparked immediate reaction due to her close ties to Trump, for whom she has served as a personal attorney in multiple legal proceedings. While neither Habba nor Trump has commented on her long-term status, her appointment remains subject to a 120-day cap unless she is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
Under federal statute, if no nomination is made within that period, Habba’s interim role could only be extended by a vote of the district’s 17 federal judges. That scenario has not been publicly addressed by the courts or the Department of Justice.
Booker, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, emphasized that the White House had expressed a willingness to collaborate with him and other New Jersey leaders on identifying a permanent candidate. “[The counsel’s office] has pledged to us that they want to work cooperatively to find somebody for that position,” he claimed.
Political concerns surround interim appointment
Habba’s appointment came as a surprise to many in New Jersey legal and political circles, in part due to her high-profile defense of Trump and outspoken media presence.
Booker’s comments appear aimed at easing concerns that the interim appointment could lead to a permanent post for a figure viewed as controversial in Democratic and legal circles. Trump has not released any official list of candidates for the permanent U.S. Attorney position in New Jersey.
Habba would make a great permanent pick for the position in a state that needs some serious criminal house-cleaning services.