Top DOJ official pushes to keep interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba in place as deadline approaches

When Alina Habba was installed by President Trump as acting U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey on March 24, a 120-day stopwatch was immediately triggered.

That's how long an interim U.S. attorney can serve without Senate confirmation, unless the state's district court judges vote in a rare meeting to extend that deadline, which expires Tuesday.

Habba has not received Senate confirmation and faces an uphill battle in a state represented by two Democratic senators adamantly opposed to her holding the office. That leaves it up to the state's judges, who have a decision to make Monday about Habba.