Turns out Donald Trump can't just slap a badge on his favorite TV lawyer and call her a U.S. attorney. A federal appeals court has ruled that ethically challenged Alina Habba, best known for losing lawsuits on Trump's behalf with unwavering confidence, was unlawfully installed as New Jersey's top federal prosecutor, and the shell game the Trump Administration has played to install her, also illegal.

But on Monday, the three judges — L. Felipe Restrepo, D. Brooks Smith and D. Michael Fisher — said that each of those maneuvers had violated the complex set of laws that governs vacancies at the top of federal agencies.

When Ms. Grace was fired, the Trump administration designated Ms. Habba to fill her role as first assistant — the highest-ranking position in the office given that there was n

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