A seasoned federal prosecutor was named Monday to lead New Jersey’s U.S. attorney’s office, bringing closure to a contentious legal battle between federal courts and the Trump administration over who controls the position.
U.S. District Court Judge issued a brief order designating Robert Frazer as the state’s chief federal prosecutor through an arrangement worked out between federal judges and the Department of Justice.
“The Department of Justice thanks the district court for working with the Department to appoint Robert Frazer to serve as US Attorney so that once again criminal prosecutions can resume without needless challenge or delay on behalf of the people of New Jersey,” the department said in a statement.
The appointment follows U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann’s decision earlier this month to remove three Justice Department officials who had been sharing oversight of the office. Brann determined their appointments represented an unlawful seizure of power by the Trump administration. These officials had replaced Trump’s original nominee for U.S. attorney, his former personal lawyer Alina Habba, whom Brann had previously blocked from taking the role because she served beyond the legal timeframe without Senate approval.
The three removed officials — Philip Lamparello, Jordan Fox and Ari Fontecchio — had been installed by Attorney General Pam Bondi to take over from Habba on an open-ended basis, an uncommon arrangement.
During a court session last week, another New Jersey federal judge required the three officials to testify under oath and dismissed a government representative from the proceedings due to frustration over the Justice Department’s disorganized management of federal prosecutions in the state.
Habba, who currently serves as a senior adviser at the Justice Department, praised Frazer’s appointment on social media Monday, stating “New Jersey deserves a great chief federal law enforcement official who is in line with President Trump’s agenda of making this country safe and NJ great!”
Frazer, who previously worked as senior trial counsel within the New Jersey U.S. attorney’s office, did not respond to requests for comment Monday.
The court system and Trump’s administration have clashed over procedures for choosing U.S. attorneys, who typically must receive Senate confirmation to remain in their roles permanently.
Federal judges have determined in additional cases that individuals installed as chief federal prosecutors in Nevada, Los Angeles and northern New York were all serving without proper legal authority.
Lindsey Halligan, who had pursued charges against two Trump opponents, stepped down from her role as acting U.S. attorney in Virginia following a judge’s November ruling that her appointment lacked legal basis. The same judge also determined that criminal charges she filed against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey should be thrown out.
In certain situations, judges have used their legal authority to name U.S. attorneys to manage prosecutor offices while waiting for presidential nominees to receive Senate approval. The Justice Department has responded by immediately dismissing these court-appointed officials.
