Alina Habba Gets a Taste of Her Own Medicine Over Arrested Dem Mayor
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is suing New Jersey's acting Attorney General Alina Habba and a Department of Homeland Security special agent on allegations of false arrest and malicious prosecution, following the dismissal of trespassing charges Habba had levied against him.
In the 17-page filing Tuesday, Baraka's lawyers claimed that the Democratic mayor had been invited past the gates at Delaney Hall by an agent from Geo Group, a private prison company that manages the newly reopened ICE facility. Still, 20 DHS agents descended on the mayor after he exited the property, and detained him for more than five hours.
During the chaotic arrest, DHS Special Agent Ricky Patel, who was listed as the other defendant, allegedly 'egged on' other agents to 'take him down' according to the filing. The lawsuit also alleged that Patel had delayed the submission of a charging document, unnecessarily extending Baraka's detainment.
Within an hour of Baraka's arrest, and before filing any formal charges against him, Habba posted on X from her private social media account, claiming that the mayor had 'committed trespass' and 'willingly chosen to disregard the law.'
Baraka's lawyers alleged that Habba had committed defamation, claiming that Trump's former lawyer had made 'false and defamatory statements' in a personal capacity, 'despite Habba's actual knowledge and reckless disregard of facts demonstrating his innocence.'
Later, in a Fox News interview on May 9, Habba claimed that Baraka had 'refused to leave' Delaney Hall, and that he 'chose not to remove himself.'
Last month, U.S. Judge Andre Espionosa agreed to dismiss the trespassing charges Habba had filed against Baraka. The lawsuit included a fuller transcript of Espoinosa's 10-minute admonition of Habba 'worrisome misstep' in Baraka's 'hasty arrest.'
'Your role is not to secure convictions at all cost, nor to satisfy public clamor, nor to advance political agendas,' Espionosa said. 'Your allegiance is to the impartial application of the law, to the pursuit of truth, and to upholding of due process for all.'
Habba also dropped a misdemeanor charge against the mayor, but quickly followed up by charging New Jersey Representative LaMonica McIver, who was also present the day Baraka was arrested, with 'assaulting, impeding and interfering with law enforcement.'
McIver slammed the charges as 'purely political.'
'They mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight,' she said in a statement.
This story has been updated.
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