In a span of eight days, Alina Habba was accused of violating the Hatch Act; removed as interim U.S. attorney by district court judges and replaced with a career prosecutor who was quickly fired by the Trump administration; and then named acting U.S. attorney.

A lawyer who is working on a criminal lawsuit in New Jersey seeks to dismiss the case by questioning Alina Habba's legitimacy to lead the U.S. attorney's office in the state.Why it matters: The lawsuit challenging Habba's legal authority underscores the effects of the Trump administration's unconventional approach of appointing officials who sometimes lack the background or the congressional support necessary to lead key offices.