US prosecutor who led election probe resigns from Justice Department

Jason Reding Quinones, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, resigned from his position on Friday. Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the departure of the prosecutor, who was known as a loyalist to Donald Trump.

During his tenure, Quinones managed an expanded federal inquiry into claims of Russian support for the 2016 Trump election campaign. Although a special investigator eventually found no direct collusion, Trump frequently described the investigation as a "witch-hunt".

Under the direction of the investigation, former officials including John Brennan, James Clapper, and James Comey received subpoenas, though no charges were brought against them. Separately, James Comey faced an indictment in April regarding a social media post that prosecutors alleged was a threat, while filings suggest the Department of Justice is also pursuing him for allegedly leaking classified information. A judge previously dismissed a separate case against Comey last November, leading him to state that the attempts to prosecute him would "almost be funny if it weren’t such an appalling abuse of the Department of Justice".

Quinones was also responsible for the indictment of 94-year-old Cuban revolutionary Raul Castro, a move that occurred during a broader pressure campaign by the Trump administration against Cuba. Attorney General Todd Blanche remarked, “We ⁠⁠are grateful for Jason’s leadership in combatting violent crime, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and transnational ‌‌crime, including the indictment of Raul Castro.”

This resignation follows the departure of Harmeet Dhillon, the head of the civil rights division, who left on Thursday. Dhillon faced accusations of weakening the division and was criticised for reportedly telling staff to avoid investigating the deaths of two US citizens killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this year.

Additionally, John Eisenberg, the assistant attorney general for the national security division, resigned on Friday. Attorney General Blanche noted, “He has served with distinction, strengthening our nation’s ability to address threats, both foreign and domestic.”

These departures at the Department of Justice occur as the Trump administration prepares for upcoming congressional investigations. Following Democratic wins in the House of Representatives and Senate on Tuesday, the party now possesses subpoena power and intends to focus on the alleged politicisation of the Department of Justice.