Trump ally Alina Habba faces ethics complaint

WASHINGTON: Alina Habba Mildon, a former personal lawyer to US President Donald Trump, is facing a professional ethics complaint in New Jersey over allegations that she mishandled a sexual harassment dispute involving an employee at Trump’s private golf club.

The New Jersey Office of Attorney Ethics filed the complaint on Tuesday, accusing Habba of violating professional conduct rules while handling a case involving a waitress at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in 2021.

According to the complaint, Habba persuaded the 21-year-old employee, Alice Bianco, to dismiss her original lawyer and accept a $15,000 settlement over allegations of sexual misconduct by her supervisor. Regulators alleged that Habba failed to disclose her financial connections to the golf club and negotiated an inadequate settlement that benefited the establishment.

The complaint further alleged that Habba advised Bianco to stop communicating with her original attorney, creating uncertainty about whether she was acting as the employee’s legal representative or as a neutral third party.

Habba’s lawyer, Kim Ringler, said the complaint concerned conduct dating back more than five years and would be addressed through a lengthy disciplinary process.

The allegations could lead to professional sanctions ranging from a formal warning to suspension or disbarment if misconduct is established. The New Jersey Supreme Court has the final authority over disciplinary action against lawyers in the state.

Bianco later hired another attorney, Nancy Smith, who filed a lawsuit against the golf club in 2023, arguing that her client had been misled into accepting an unfair settlement. The lawsuit described the original compensation as significantly below the amount normally expected in such cases.

The dispute was eventually settled for $400,000.

Smith criticised Habba’s handling of the matter, accusing her of encouraging Bianco to dismiss her lawyer, accept inadequate compensation and sign an unlawful confidentiality agreement. She said the alleged misconduct warranted disbarment.

Habba previously served as Trump’s choice for the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey. However, a US judge ruled last year that her appointment was unlawful and barred her from supervising cases.

She has also faced scrutiny over a $50 million contract secured while working at the US Justice Department. Trump publicly criticised the arrangement in October, calling it unacceptable. The contract, reportedly involving the family of a Venezuelan banker who later received a presidential pardon, has since been terminated.

Habba has denied receiving payment in exchange for a pardon and said she did not discuss the matter with officials at the White House or Justice Department.