Two senior Justice Department officials resigned Friday, days after Democrats won control of Congress in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, according to Politico and Reuters. The officials are John Eisenberg, who led the department’s National Security Division, and Jason Reding Quiñones, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
Key Highlights
- Neither Politico nor Reuters reported a reason for the resignations.
- Harmeet Dhillon, who led the Civil Rights Division, left the day before, both outlets reported.
- Attorney General Todd Blanche praised Quiñones in a statement, according to Politico.
- Reuters noted that senior departures after a midterm setback are not unusual.
Who Resigned
Politico said Eisenberg, an assistant attorney general, oversaw terrorism, leak and espionage cases. His division was part of the prosecution of former national security adviser John Bolton, Politico reported. In Trump’s first term, Eisenberg was the National Security Council’s top lawyer.
Quiñones was the first U.S. attorney confirmed in Trump’s second term, Politico reported. His office pursued a case against former Cuban President Raúl Castro and is prosecuting Alex Saab, according to Reuters.
What Is Known About the Reasons
Reuters wrote, “It is not clear why Quiñones or Eisenberg resigned.” Politico said it was not clear whether the departures were tied to the midterm results or to anything else. Neither outlet reported effective dates or successors.
The sourcing differs. Politico said Eisenberg’s exit was reported by two people familiar with the matter, who spoke anonymously. The Jerusalem Post, carrying Reuters reporting, said Blanche announced it.
A department spokesperson and Eisenberg did not immediately respond to Politico’s requests for comment. Blanche said of Quiñones, “Jason has served the Department multiple times over his distinguished career,” and praised his work on violent crime.
The Florida Probe
According to Reuters, Quiñones’s office was tasked with investigating past criminal probes of Trump, including the handling of classified documents and 2016 campaign contacts with Russia. Politico also said he oversaw an investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan and other officials.
Reuters said “no criminal charges have been filed so far as a direct result of the probe.” It added that prosecutor Joseph diGenova, who oversaw it, resigned in September, and that dozens of prosecutors left the office during Quiñones’s tenure.
Eisenberg’s Division
Reuters reported that the National Security Division was involved in an unusual raid on a Washington Post reporter’s home as part of a leak investigation. It also helped oversee redactions before the department released millions of Jeffrey Epstein-related files, which Democrats and some Republicans criticized as overly broad.
A Wider Exodus
Politico described Dhillon as the face of the department’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion, including lawsuits against universities over antisemitism. Reuters said the department is now without leaders for two signature initiatives: revisiting past investigations and targeting higher education.
Reuters also noted that Democrats plan a series of investigations into the Trump administration and its business dealings. For background on the vote, see our midterm elections coverage.
What to Watch Next
Key questions are who replaces the departing officials, whether more resignations follow and what Democrats do with oversight powers in January. Both outlets treated the story as developing, so details may change.
Watch: Coverage of the Resignations
Video: “U.S. attorney for Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones resigns” (YouTube).
Sources
- Politico via Yahoo News: 2 top DOJ officials resign, including assistant attorney general for national security
- Reuters via Devdiscourse: Two top Justice Department officials resign as post-election exodus accelerates
- The Jerusalem Post (Reuters): US DOJ assistant attorney-general John Eisenberg resigns from post