'Blindsided' judge hurls Trump DOJ prosecutor out of court in mid-hearing blow-up
A dramatic courtroom confrontation erupted this week when Judge Zahid N. Quraishi threw top prosecutor Mark Coyne out of his New Jersey courtroom and demanded answers about who's really running the U.S. attorney's office, according to a new report.
The scene unfolded during a child pornography sentencing hearing Monday, adding to deepening tensions between the Trump administration's Justice Department and federal judges. The judge grew increasingly frustrated with Coyne's presence and fired pointed questions at junior prosecutor Daniel Rosenblum about whether former interim U.S. attorney Alina Habba maintained hidden control over office operations, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
When Coyne repeatedly interjected, the judge's patience evaporated, and he ordered him to sit.
“You don’t get to blindside the court and do whatever it is you guys want to do,” Quraishi warned. “So if you continue to speak, you can leave.”
The confrontation escalated when Quraishi grilled Rosenblum over a botched plea deal executed without complete evidence.
“How did the screw-up happen?” Quraishi asked. “Was it your office, the U.S. attorney’s office, the FBI or both? How did you execute a plea agreement without knowing all the evidence?”
Habba, now a senior Justice Department adviser, denied any operational role.
“I’m not the U.S. attorney anymore,” she said. “I left my post.”
She praised Coyne as talented and deserving respect.
The three-person leadership team of Philip Lamparello, Jordan Fox, and Ari Fontecchio faces mandatory testimony next month after a federal judge last week ruled their appointments unlawful. Another judge warned that illegal leadership could result in dangerous criminals having convictions reversed.
Quraishi added a parting shot at the prosecutors.
“You have lost the confidence and the trust of this court. You have lost the confidence and the trust of the New Jersey legal community, and you are losing the trust and confidence of the public.”
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