Fired NJ prosecutor says she's prepared to take job

A New Jersey prosecutor selected by judges to replace President Trump's pick for U.S. attorney, Alina Habba, said Wednesday she is prepared to assume the role, despite having been fired by top Justice Department (DOJ) officials a day earlier.

Desiree Grace, the prosecutor, said in a LinkedIn post that she's honored by her appointment "on merit" and is ready to begin serving "in accordance with the law."

"I’ve served under both Republican and Democratic administrations," she wrote in the lengthy post. "I’ve been promoted four times in the last five years by both — including four months ago by this administration. Politics never impacted my work at the Department. Priorities change, of course, and resources are shifted, but the work and the mission were steady."

Grace's intention to abide by the judges' order heightens the standoff with senior Justice Department officials in Washington, who have doubled down in support of Habba continuing to lead the U.S. attorney's office for New Jersey.

A former personal lawyer to Trump, Habba's 120-day interim term is set to expire this week. Her trial period has at times been contentious; two Democratic public officials faced criminal charges over an incident at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility under her leadership.

On Tuesday, the U.S. District Court of New Jersey issued a terse standing order declining to retain her, instead appointing Grace to serve in the role indefinitely after a private vote Monday.

Attorney General Pam Bondi responded to the judges' decision by terminating Grace's employment.

"This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges — especially when they threaten the President’s core Article II powers," Bondi wrote.

Though Bondi said she removed Grace, it's not clear she had the authority to do so. Only the president is empowered to remove U.S. attorneys appointed by judges, legal experts previously told The Hill.

Grace's post seemed to double as a goodbye message, despite her defiant words announcing readiness to assume the role.

"It has been the honor of a lifetime to represent the United States and to serve the people of New Jersey for the last nine years," Grace said. "There’s no better place to work. There’s no mission more important.

"How lucky I’ve been to be guided by nothing more than the genuine desire to do the right thing for the right reason each and every day," she added.