'Not what America voted for!' Alina Habba rages as GOP senator won't bend rules for her

President Donald Trump's acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, flew into a rage on social media at Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), after he reaffirmed his commitment to respect the "blue slip" tradition of requiring a nominee's home state senators' consent to advance — a standard that all but guarantees her chances of being permanently appointed are dead in the water, as New Jersey is represented by two Democrats.

"A U.S. Atty/district judge nominee without a blue slip does not hv the votes to get confirmed on the Senate floor & they don’t hv the votes to get out of cmte," wrote Grassley on X. "As chairman I set Pres Trump noms up for SUCCESS NOT FAILURE."

Habba was enraged by this comment.

"The blue slip TRADITION prevents a nominee from getting to the point of making that case to the committee and Senate floor. You know who can get rid of it? YOU @ChuckGrassley," wrote Habba in reply. "Remember, President Trump nominates individuals that he knows can get the job done. Your job is to work with your committee to advance their nominations. Doing the dirty work of Thom Tillis, Corey [sic] Booker and Andy Kim is NOT what America voted for."

"Now New Jersey is becoming a playground for criminals because of partisan Federal Judges — this is a time for leadership, not deflection," she fumed. "The American people deserve better."

The drama over Habba's position as acting U.S. attorney, where she has faced staff revolts and come under controversy for politically motivated charges against a sitting member of Congress, began last month when federal judges in New Jersey determined her unqualified to continue in an acting role — something that rarely occurs with acting nominees.

The Trump administration quickly resorted to some under-the-table tactics to overrule the judges and re-appoint Habba, but a federal judge last week ruled the appointment was unlawful, after defendants in cases she was prosecuting filed complaints.

Since then, Habba has raged at Republican senators who are unwilling to confirm her, as well as attacking the judges unwilling to extend her temporary appointment. “I am the pick of the president. I am the pick of Pam Bondi, our attorney general, and I will serve this country like I have for the last several years in any capacity,” she said.