Alina Habba, acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, accused Senate Democrats of misusing a Senate tradition known as the "blue slip" to stall and politicize her nomination, telling Newsmax on Thursday that the process has been weaponized nationwide.
On "Rob Schmitt Tonight," Habba discussed how her nomination has been stalled despite being the president's pick, citing what she described as a growing trend among Democrats.
"There is this tradition, and it is being used, frankly, inappropriately," Habba said. "The home senators get the courtesy of a blue slip. … It's not a law. They have abused it. We're seeing it all over the country right now — in New York, in California, in New Jersey. We're seeing it across the board."
Habba, appointed initially as interim U.S. attorney, was later nominated formally by President Donald Trump. But under the blue slip custom, both home-state senators must return a favorable opinion of the nominee — or at least not object to the nomination — for the nominee to advance to a Senate confirmation hearing. In her case, that didn't happen.
"I have never once spoken to [Sen.] Cory Booker [or Rep.] Andy Kim. They have not so much as entertained a meeting with me, although I asked numerous, numerous times," Habba said. "I've never met [House Minority Leader] Hakeem Jeffries, and that is not the way we're supposed to work."
She added that their opposition to advancing her to a confirmation hearing appears to be political, not professional.
"It should not matter what your politics are, because this is truly the evidence of political [interference]," she said. "We're seeing Cory Booker get up and screaming at his party that we need to not bend a knee."
"The Department of Justice has nothing to do with politics," she continued. "What we have to do with is justice, is law and order. So using a process like this, politicizing it, it's wrong."
Habba emphasized that the president has legal authority to appoint federal prosecutors, as do officials such as Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has helped coordinate appointments.
"Obviously, elections have consequences," she said.
After the attempted replacement of her by a nominee backed by federal judges in the state, Trump ultimately reappointed her. Habba described the episode as "a strange set of facts."
"Yes, I am the acting U.S. attorney. And no, the judges at that point did not have any rights to try and oust me. I was not even expired in my term yet, actually," she said. "Whatever the hits that I've taken over the last few weeks, I'm honestly proud to be sitting in this seat."
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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