New Jersey Ethics Office Recommends Discipline for Alina Habba Mildon

The New Jersey Office of Attorney Ethics has recommended disciplinary action against Alina Habba Mildon, a former interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, following a three-year inquiry into her conduct during a 2021 sexual harassment settlement. The complaint alleges that Mildon, then a member of the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, befriended a 21-year-old waitress, Alice Bianco, and convinced her to abandon her legal counsel to accept a $15,000 settlement that included an illegal nondisclosure agreement.

Ethics officials claim Mildon operated with divided loyalties and a conflict of interest due to her club membership and her subsequent role as personal lawyer to President Donald Trump. While Mildon argued she acted as a neutral third party, the Office of Attorney Ethics rejected this claim. The situation previously led to a $400,000 settlement after Bianco sued Mildon and the golf club through attorney Nancy Erika Smith.

The current ethics case could result in penalties ranging from a formal admonition to full disbarment. The final decision rests with the New Jersey Supreme Court. Mildon's legal representation has characterized the complaint as the first step in a long process, suggesting they will work toward a proportionate result given the nature of the claims.