Latest news with #politicalstandoff
CNN
6 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Judges' pick to be new US attorney in NJ vows to take office despite being fired by Justice Department
Federal agencies FacebookTweetLink A possible standoff is brewing over who will replace Alina Habba as US attorney in New Jersey with her interim appointment set to expire Friday. Desiree Leigh Grace, a top prosecutor fired by the Justice Department Tuesday after she was tapped by the federal judges in the state to replace Habba, is vowing to take over the job 'in accordance with the law.' To do so, Grace would have to be sworn in by a federal judge just after midnight Friday when Habba ceases to be US attorney – and defy Attorney General Pam Bondi who ousted her from her job as New Jersey's first assistant US attorney. The Justice Department hasn't said what it plans to do with the position, other than Bondi and Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, decrying the appointment of Grace and accusing the judges of political motivations and attempting to usurp President Donald Trump's appointment powers. If Grace assumes the job, the president could fire her. The department could still outmaneuver the judges by having Habba leave before midnight Friday and appointing a new interim US attorney, a move they've used in other cases. Grace posted a lengthy message Wednesday on LinkedIn thanking colleagues and pushing back that politics played any part in how she did her job. She ended her post with a defiant vow to take over the job she was appointed to by the judges. 'Yesterday the District Judges for the District of New Jersey selected me to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey. It will forever be the greatest honor that they selected me on merit, and I'm prepared to follow that Order and begin to serve in accordance with the law,' she wrote. Grace continued, 'I've served under both Republican and Democratic administrations. I've been promoted four times in the last five years by both — including four months ago by this administration. Politics never impacted my work at the Department.' Habba declined to comment when reached by CNN. The dispute is a consequence of the slow pace of the US Senate to approve Trump's US attorney nominations. Habba and other interim US attorneys could run out of the allotted 120 days they are allowed to serve. Under federal law, if the administration doesn't fill the job and the Senate doesn't confirm a nominee, federal judges in the district can select a temporary US attorney.
CNN
6 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Judges' pick to be new US attorney in NJ vows to take office despite being fired by Justice Department
Federal agencies FacebookTweetLink A possible standoff is brewing over who will replace Alina Habba as US attorney in New Jersey with her interim appointment set to expire Friday. Desiree Leigh Grace, a top prosecutor fired by the Justice Department Tuesday after she was tapped by the federal judges in the state to replace Habba, is vowing to take over the job 'in accordance with the law.' To do so, Grace would have to be sworn in by a federal judge just after midnight Friday when Habba ceases to be US attorney – and defy Attorney General Pam Bondi who ousted her from her job as New Jersey's first assistant US attorney. The Justice Department hasn't said what it plans to do with the position, other than Bondi and Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, decrying the appointment of Grace and accusing the judges of political motivations and attempting to usurp President Donald Trump's appointment powers. If Grace assumes the job, the president could fire her. The department could still outmaneuver the judges by having Habba leave before midnight Friday and appointing a new interim US attorney, a move they've used in other cases. Grace posted a lengthy message Wednesday on LinkedIn thanking colleagues and pushing back that politics played any part in how she did her job. She ended her post with a defiant vow to take over the job she was appointed to by the judges. 'Yesterday the District Judges for the District of New Jersey selected me to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey. It will forever be the greatest honor that they selected me on merit, and I'm prepared to follow that Order and begin to serve in accordance with the law,' she wrote. Grace continued, 'I've served under both Republican and Democratic administrations. I've been promoted four times in the last five years by both — including four months ago by this administration. Politics never impacted my work at the Department.' Habba declined to comment when reached by CNN. The dispute is a consequence of the slow pace of the US Senate to approve Trump's US attorney nominations. Habba and other interim US attorneys could run out of the allotted 120 days they are allowed to serve. Under federal law, if the administration doesn't fill the job and the Senate doesn't confirm a nominee, federal judges in the district can select a temporary US attorney.
Al Bawaba
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Bawaba
Haredi draft law crisis threatens to cripple Netanyahu's coalition
ALBAWABA - The ultra-Orthodox military draft law is causing a political standoff that could end Israel's coalition government. Haredi parties are giving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government strict deadlines to meet. Kan, an Israeli news station, says that the current problem was started by Aryeh Deri, the head of the Shas party. This has already pushed back Netanyahu's planned trip abroad. Deri asked for a draft law on the forced service of Haredim (ultra-Orthodox Jews) to be shown right away and warned that if it wasn't, his party and its partners would fight any law supported by the government. In response, Netanyahu talked to Yuli Edelstein, who is the head of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Knesset. Edelstein promised that a draft of the bill would be ready in two days. Edelstein agreed to show Ariel Atias, a prominent member of Shas, the draft, but he made it clear that this version is not the final one and that the whole law would be sent in later. Edelstein said, "The crisis can't be solved without the final draft." "We won't put up with any more delays," a top Haredi official told Kan. The group will not be able to work if the law is not given by Monday. The threat includes not voting in Knesset on any bills, which is a big change from their earlier strategy of only rejecting certain laws. Yair Lapid, the head of the opposition, spoke out against the move and said Edelstein was wrong to share the draft with Haredi leaders before talking to Israel's troops and reservists. "This is the whole point of avoiding the draft," Lapid said. Opposition members also said Edelstein hid what the law said and skipped over committee meetings. At the same time, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi went to the ultra-Orthodox Hashmonaim training base to praise those who serve and stress that military service is acceptable with Haredi life. The rising tension shows how deeply divided the partnership is and makes people worry about how stable Netanyahu's government's legislation will be in the future.
