Joseph diGenova, a prosecutor overseeing a Justice Department probe into past investigations of Donald Trump, has resigned. DiGenova, a Trump ally, took over the Florida-based investigation in April. The probe has examined the 2016 Russia investigation and probes into Trump's retention of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
The resignation of the prosecutor overseeing investigations into perceived enemies of Donald Trump injects uncertainty into probes that have examined sensitive matters related to the 2016 election and Trump's post-presidency actions, potentially impacting ongoing legal and political scrutiny.
Joseph diGenova, a prosecutor who had been overseeing a wide-ranging probe into past investigations of President Donald Trump, has resigned. DiGenova, a Trump ally, joined the Justice Department in April to take over the Florida-based investigation, which has sought to establish that the president was the victim of a long-running criminal conspiracy.
DiGenova stated it was an honor and privilege to serve the president and the department but declined to elaborate on his resignation. The investigation has examined the 2017 U.S. intelligence finding that Russia sought to boost Trump’s first presidential campaign in 2016, as well as more recent investigations by former Special Counsel Jack Smith into Trump’s retention of classified documents and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election defeat.
So far, the investigation has not resulted in any criminal charges. Investigators have interviewed current and former intelligence employees and have recently sought to question FBI officials involved in the 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago. DiGenova, a former U.S. Attorney in Washington, has aligned himself with Trump in recent years, echoing claims that the Russia investigation was politically motivated.
The probe is part of a larger effort by the Justice Department to pursue Trump's perceived enemies. Some Trump allies have expressed hopes that the probe could ensnare Smith, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former FBI Director James Comey. DiGenova took over the investigation after the Justice Department removed a career federal prosecutor who had been leading it. Brennan has denied wrongdoing and his lawyers have sued the Justice Department to preserve documents related to the investigation. Legal experts have questioned the feasibility of bringing a criminal case in Florida given the location of much of the activity in the Russia investigation.