A top supervisor in the federal prosecutors' office in Washington has resigned following a disagreement with her boss over directives related to the awarding of a government contract during the Biden administration. The supervisor, who led the office’s criminal division, cited a dispute with the interim U.S. Attorney over freezing assets and issuing grand jury subpoenas.
The supervisor, in her resignation letter, mentioned that she was asked to seek a freeze on assets and issue subpoenas despite her belief that there was insufficient basis for such actions. She also highlighted a demand to instruct a bank not to release funds due to a criminal investigation, which she deemed beyond her legal authority.
The nature of the contract and the involved agency were not disclosed in the letter. The U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment on the matter, emphasizing the importance of following orders.
The resignation comes amidst a series of conflicts within the Justice Department, with career officials resigning due to disagreements with Trump administration mandates. The departing supervisor urged colleagues to uphold their commitment to justice without bias.
President Trump's nomination of the interim U.S. Attorney as D.C.'s permanent U.S. attorney has raised concerns, given his support for Jan. 6 rioters and promotion of false election claims. The interim U.S. Attorney had recently tasked the resigning supervisor with reviewing the office's handling of felony charges against Capitol rioters.
The Justice Department has witnessed several high-profile departures since Trump's inauguration, including the recent resignation of Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor in protest against a directive to dismiss corruption charges.
