The two prosecutors in charge of the Manhattan District Attorney's criminal investigation into former president Donald Trump and his business dealings resign without warning, throwing the future of the probe into question.
A spokesperson for District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed the resignations of Carey Dunne and former mafia prosecutor Mark Pomerantz on Wednesday, local time.
Both started on the probe under former District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr and were asked to stay when Mr Bragg took office in January.
Mr Dunne — the office's former general counsel — argued before the US Supreme Court in a successful fight for Mr Trump's tax records.
Mr Pomerantz was brought out of private practice by Mr Vance last year to add his expertise in white-collar investigations to the probe.
"We are grateful for their service," said Mr Bragg's spokesperson, Danielle Filson.
She declined to comment further, saying the investigation was ongoing.
The criminal case is related to, but separate from, a parallel civil case being run by New York Attorney-General Letitia James.
The New York Times, citing sources, reported that Mr Dunne and Mr Pomerantz quit after Mr Bragg raised doubts about pursuing a case against Mr Trump.
Messages seeking comment were left for Mr Dunne and Mr Pomerantz.
The DA's office's investigation led to tax fraud charges last July against Mr Trump's company, the Trump Organization, and its long-time finance chief, Allen Weisselberg.
Mr Weisselberg was accused of collecting more than $US1.7 million ($2.35 million) in off-the-books compensation, including apartment rent, car payments and school tuition.
He, and the company, have pleaded not guilty.
On Tuesday, lawyers for Mr Weisselberg and the Trump Organization filed court papers seeking to throw out the case.
Mr Weisselberg's lawyers argued that the DA's office was targeting him as punishment because he wouldn't flip on the former president.
Just last month, Mr Bragg said he was proud of the continuity that Mr Dunne and Mr Pomerantz had brought in running the high-profile investigation through the transition from Mr Vance's administration to his leadership.
"I do think the one continuity is the staffing and [Mr Vance] brought on incredible lawyers to do it," Mr Bragg said in a January 20 question-and-answer session with reporters.
"And they've been dedicated. And we've been working and keeping them in place and thinking about the kind of resources to continue the investigation, in order to then be in a position to make decisions on the direction of the probe," Mr Bragg said.
Limited by ethics rules from discussing the case in detail, at the time Mr Bragg said that he was getting up to speed on the Trump investigation and that he would "follow the facts".
He did not offer a timeline for a charging decision.
"It's a matter that's personally, as you would imagine, on my radar screen and that I'm mindful of and paying attention to," Mr Bragg said.
AP
