The New Jersey Globe has reported that Douglas Steinhardt has declined a temporary appointment to be the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey.
Steinhardt was slated to take the oath of office as interim U.S. Attorney in early February after President Donald Trump offered him the position last month. However, the New Jersey Globe has learnt that Steinhardt notified the White House that he was unable to accept the position because of his long-term dedication to his constituents as a state senator from the 23rd legislative district and his decision to distance himself from his legal practice.
Steinhardt would have forfeited his State Senate position and distanced himself from his legal practice for a four-month period if the U.S. Senate hadn’t confirmed him by then. Interim appointments are limited to 120 days. After the 120 days, there was no assurance that a majority of the state’s seventeen U.S. District Court judges would vote to appoint him.
Cory Booker and Andy Kim, the U.S. senators from New Jersey, informed the New Jersey Globe this week that they have not yet discussed the U.S. Attorney position with the Trump administration. A blue slip, the federal equivalent of senatorial courtesy, may have been used by either senator to delay his nomination.
Two days prior to Trump’s inauguration, Steinhardt received an offer for the position and passed a background investigation before declining.
Vikas Khanna can stay in office until May 8. He was appointed interim U.S. Attorney on January 8 after Philip Sellinger resigned.
Because of his choice, there won’t be a special election for his State Senate seat. Some Republicans had already started campaigns for Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio’s Assembly seat, and DiMaio swiftly cleared the field to succeed Steinhardt. Former Republican State Chairman Michael Lavery had emerged as Steinhardt’s most likely replacement as Warren County Republican chairman, and several GOP lawmakers in Trenton had started talking about a new minority leader.
Steinhardt, a former Republican State Chairman and 15-year mayor of Lopatcong, briefly ran for the GOP’s 2021 gubernatorial candidacy. Additionally, he will step down from his collaboration with former Democratic Governor Jim Florio at Florio Perrucci, a prominent New Jersey legal firm, where he had been a partner for many years.
Who will be Trump’s next pick is uncertain.
Four other candidates were taken into consideration by the transition team: former Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott McBride, Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-Morris Plains), State Senator Michael Testa, Jr. (R-Vineland), and Andrew Carey, a former Middlesex County prosecutor who has been the office’s counsel since 2019. Both McBride and Carey have connections to former Governor Chris Christie; both participated in Christie’s 2024 presidential campaign and worked at the U.S. Attorney’s office during Christie’s tenure.
Steinhardt opted not to respond.