DOJ Drops Hands In Trump Probe
Two senior Justice Department officials resigned Friday, ending a controversial investigation into political rivals of the president.
By Harper Foster ·
Jason Reding Quinones no longer works for the Justice Department.
Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the resignation on Friday. Reding Quinones, a U.S. attorney based in South Florida, had led a sweeping investigation into alleged criminal violations of President Donald Trump's civil rights. The probe, often referred to as the "grand conspiracy" inquiry, examined whether intelligence officials and other government actors targeted the president starting during his 2016 campaign. Blanche also confirmed that John Eisenberg, the head of the National Security Division, stepped down from his post.
These departures follow Thursday's resignation by Harmeet Dhillon, who led the Civil Rights Division. The three exits mark a shift in leadership following recent midterm election results that favored Democrats. Sources indicated that Reding Quinones' departure was expected after recent private meetings where DOJ leadership criticized his progress. They also noted his frequent travel to Washington, D.C., which drew scrutiny within the department.
The investigation has generated extensive legal maneuvering involving subpoenas and grand jury testimony for various targets. Despite the activity, the probe has not yet produced any criminal indictments. Sources described this lack of charges as a point of frustration for President Trump and other senior DOJ officials. The team under Reding Quinones focused on potential coordination among intelligence and government figures to undermine the president's rights.
Blanche praised Reding Quinones in a social media post, citing his work against violent crime, drug trafficking, and transnational crime. Eisenberg's role was central to the earlier Ukraine scandal that led to Trump's first impeachment. His division recently shifted personnel away from terrorism and espionage cases toward immigration enforcement priorities. The National Security Division also managed the classified documents prosecution of former national security adviser John Bolton, who pleaded guilty earlier this year. The division participated in leak investigations that resulted in subpoenas for several journalists.
The resignations conclude a period of intense internal focus on the grand conspiracy probe. No new leadership has been named for the positions held by Reding Quinones and Eisenberg. The department continues its operations with the remaining staff.
