"The replacement of Siebert as U.S. attorney for the prestigious Eastern District of Virginia office comes amid a push by Trump administration officials to indict James, a perceived adversary of the president who has successfully sued him for fraud. President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday that he wanted Siebert "out" and multiple people familiar with the matter later told the AP that Siebert had informed his colleagues of his plan to resign from the position."
"The administration's effort to oust him from the job represents a further erosion of norms meant to insulate the Justice Department from White House influence on prosecutorial decisions. The move is likely to deepen concerns that the department - already investigating other public figures Trump regards as foes - is being weaponized by a White House seeking to have its prosecutorial powers used for purposes of retribution."
"A federal prosecutor in Virginia whose monthslong mortgage fraud investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James has not resulted in criminal charges resigned Friday under pressure from the Trump administration. Erik Siebert confirmed his departure in an email to colleagues, reviewed by The Associated Press, in which he praised them as the "finest and most exceptional" of Justice Department employees but made no mention of the political turmoil that preceded his resignation."
Erik Siebert resigned as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia after months of pressure from the Trump administration. The resignation follows a monthslong mortgage fraud investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James that produced no criminal charges. President Donald Trump expressed a desire to have Siebert removed, and administration officials pushed to indict James over alleged paperwork discrepancies. Siebert had praised colleagues in his departure email but did not mention the political pressure. His top deputy, Maya Song, is stepping down from her first assistant role to return to line prosecution. Justice Department spokespeople declined to comment.
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