Top DOJ official resigns from 'grand conspiracy' probe

Jason Reding Quiñones, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, resigned on Friday. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the move and praised Quiñones for his work on violent crime, trafficking, and transnational criminal organizations.

Quiñones did not provide a reason for his resignation. In a post on X, he thanked President Trump and expressed pride in his work with colleagues in the Southern District.

The investigation, based in Fort Pierce, is examining whether former intelligence officials under two Democratic administrations conspired to keep Donald Trump out of office through criminal and intelligence actions. It also looks into whether former CIA Director John Brennan lied to Congress about the agency's role in an intelligence assessment on Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Quiñones' resignation follows the departure of Joe diGenova, a former U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., who left due to disagreements with the Deputy Attorney General's Office over case management. Senior Justice Department leaders had sent attorneys from Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter's office to Florida to assist with the case, which diGenova and Quiñones resisted.

Other resignations from the probe include Kurt Olsen, a former White House attorney, and several temporarily assigned prosecutors who returned to their home offices. Earlier this year, the lead career prosecutor overseeing the investigation was also sidelined after expressing concerns about the evidence.

Attorney General Blanche stated that Quiñones 'always has been in charge' of the investigation and downplayed prior departures, saying 'people leave and stay all the time.' He emphasized that the probe would continue as it should, with no frustration over its pace.

The investigation has generated significant grand jury activity but has not yet resulted in charges related to the alleged conspiracy. Quiñones' resignation occurred the day after the Justice Department announced the departure of Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general in charge of the Civil Rights Division.