US EditionFor 2nd time, judge rules top DOJ officials in New Jersey are serving unlawfully
Judge Matthew Brann ruled the three-person leadership unlawfully appointed, violating the Appointments Clause and Senate confirmation rules, risking dismissal of pending cases.
- On March 9, 2026, U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann disqualified Philip Lamparello, Jordan Fox and Ari Fontecchio from overseeing federal prosecutions in New Jersey for violating the Appointments Clause.
- After Alina Habba's removal last year, Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed a three-person leadership team to share authority, following Brann's ruling on Senate confirmation delays.
- Brann warned that the leadership structure exceeds Bondi's authority and violates the Appointments Clause, cautioning that further unlawful attempts may lead to case dismissals.
- The judge stayed his order pending appeal and did not immediately dismiss criminal indictments, warning the same issue could affect Justice Department offices nationwide and ordering dismissal of charges against Letitia James, New York Attorney General, and James Comey, former FBI Director.
- The ruling exemplifies a pattern of judicial pushback, with courts in at least five states, including New Jersey, emphasizing Congress's requirement of presidential nomination and Senate confirmation for U.S. Attorneys, a standard for more than 236 years.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Federal Judge Disqualifies 3 Lawyers Leading New Jersey US Attorney’s Office
A federal judge barred three lawyers chosen by the Trump administration to run the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, determining that their selection is in violation of federal law and the Constitution by assigning a stand-in prosecutor without Senate approval. In a 130-page opinion issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Matthew W. Brann ruled that the “triumvirate” arrangement, which splits leadership between Philip Lamparello,…
Judge disqualifies Trump-appointed leadership in NJ US attorney’s office
A federal judge ruled Monday that the three attorneys currently leading the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey are serving unlawfully, escalating the Trump administration’s long-running dispute over who can legally run the federal prosecutor’s office in the state. U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann issued a 130-page opinion disqualifying senior counsel Philip Lamparello, executive assistant U.S. attorney Ari Fontecchio, and special attorney Jor…
Trump DOJ improperly installed New Jersey prosecutors, judge rules
President Donald Trump's administration overstepped its authority by installing three prosecutors to lead New Jersey's U.S. Attorney's office without winning Senate confirmation, a federal judge ruled on Monday, warning that thousands of federal criminal cases could be dismissed as a…
For 2nd time, judge rules top DOJ officials in New Jersey are serving unlawfully
A judge ruled last summer that President Trump's former lawyer Alina Habba was illegally serving as top New Jersey's federal prosecutor. On Monday, Habba's replacements were also disqualified.
Federal judge issues searing rejection of 3 NJ prosecutors in huge blow to Trump DOJ
Pam Bondi keeps illegally appointing attorney generals for New Jersey and local judges keep throwing them out. A chief U.S. District Judge for Pennsylvania rejected three new leaders of the New Jersey U.S. attorney's office on the argument that the Trump administration is illegally trying to circumvent Senate confirmation of U.S. attorneys.“One year into this administration, it is plain that President [Donald] Trump and his top aides have chafed…
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