It’s been a bad week for President Donald Trump’s attempts to transform the Justice Department into his personal retribution squad. Monday saw a federal appeals panel confirm that Alina Habba’s controversial appointment as the U.S. attorney for New Jersey wasn’t kosher. Their ruling came on the heels of a federal judge’s determination that Lindsay Halligan was unlawfully appointed to serve as the interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Both Habba and Halligan came to their roles after previously acting as personal attorneys to Trump. That they were tapped at all showcases how weak the backbench of lawyers willing to defend the MAGA agenda in court really is. And with their dismissals, it’s safe to say that Trump is running low on lawyers to fill in the massive gaps needed to skillfully defend his most controversial policies.
Between the Russia investigation, his two impeachment trials, the failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election, four criminal indictments, and several major civil cases against himself and his companies, Trump has accrued a massive roster of personal lawyers over the last decade. While their success rate in court has varied, along with their job satisfaction with their client, the sheer number has provided a fertile ground for presidential appointments this term.
This is a preview of Hayes Brown's latest column. Read the full column here.
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