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Courts & Justice

Two Justice Department officials resign, including prosecutor who oversaw probe of Trump's foes

Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the exits of Jason Reding Quiñones and John Eisenberg, days after Democrats won control of Congress in the midterms.

The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington in 2025
The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington in 2025. Photo: Sdkb, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
18 news outlets reported this
Liberal10 outletsResignations after Democratic midterm wins, probe stalledCenter3 outletsA troubled office and a probe without progressConservative5 outletsBlanche's tributes and a post-midterm Justice Department shake-up
Published 3 min read
Overview

Jason Reding Quiñones, the for the Southern District of Florida, based in Miami, resigned on Friday, Nov. 6, Todd Blanche announced. Quiñones had been overseeing the "grand conspiracy" investigation into whether former officials conspired against Trump. No charges have been filed in it so far.

Blanche also accepted the resignation of John Eisenberg, who led the 's National Security Division. Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Civil Rights Division, announced her departure on Thursday. The exits follow Tuesday's elections, in which Democrats won control of and .

Blanche thanked Quiñones for his work on violent crime, trafficking and transnational crime, and cited the of Raúl Castro. He said Eisenberg "has served with distinction." People familiar with the matter told the AP that Washington officials had grown frustrated with how Quiñones managed the office.

Joseph diGenova, who took over the probe, resigned in September without bringing charges. According to the Daily Mail, John Bolton in June, and Eisenberg's office played a part in prosecuting him. More departures from the department are expected.

Key figures
  • Three top Justice Department officials resigned since Tuesday's midterms, per UPI — UPI
  • more than 200 lawyers in the Southern District of Florida office when Quiñones arrived, per the Seattle Times — The Seattle Times
  • more than 1,000 election monitors dispatched to polling sites by Dhillon, per UPI — UPI

Three sides of the story

Liberal10 outlets

Resignations after Democratic midterm wins, probe stalled

The AP report carried by Yahoo News says Washington officials had grown frustrated with Quiñones' handling of the office, citing people familiar with the matter, and says investigators have put off grand jury testimony. The Guardian says the officials are leaving "after sweeping Democratic wins in the midterm elections" and that Democrats have pledged aggressive oversight of the department. It quotes conservative commentator Julie Kelly writing that the probe "is essentially dead now," and gives Dhillon's account that she submitted her resignation on 13 October.

CBS News leads with Eisenberg, who "abruptly resigned," and describes his division's work, including the review of the Epstein files, whose redactions drew criticism. ABC News headlines the probe into "Trump's foes" and says sources describe DOJ leadership admonishing Quiñones in private over his lack of progress and frequent trips to Washington. It reports the probe has led to no criminal indictments.

Center3 outlets

A troubled office and a probe without progress

The AP report, which The Seattle Times runs, opens with the top federal prosecutor in Miami resigning "in the wake of the midterm elections" and cites people familiar with the matter on frustration over his management. It includes Quiñones' thanks to Trump and Blanche's praise, and notes diGenova left in September without bringing charges. A second Seattle Times piece calls the probe "a centerpiece of President Donald Trump's retribution campaign."

It says three people with knowledge describe Quiñones as long viewed as ineffective, with a top Blanche deputy, Aakash Singh, overseeing many sensitive investigations. It adds that his office had more than 200 lawyers when he arrived and slightly more than half that by the fall. UPI reports, citing sources who spoke to CNN, that he resigned under pressure, and counts three top DOJ officials gone since the midterms.

The Wall Street Journal's headline says more departures are expected.

Conservative5 outlets

Blanche's tributes and a post-midterm Justice Department shake-up

Each report quotes Blanche's praise for the departing officials. Fox News covers Eisenberg's resignation, notes it learned of it shortly before Blanche posted, and adds Dhillon's interview saying the White House asked her to wait until after the midterms. RedState says the departures come days after Republicans suffered "a crushing defeat," but that there is "no indication as yet" they are connected to the results, and adds that neither man has publicly explained his departure.

The Daily Mail headlines a "mass exodus" after a "midterms blowout," says Democrats have promised to investigate the administration aggressively, and says the "grand conspiracy" probe appears to have faltered. It says Trump fired Pam Bondi in April partly because she did not push the probe forward more forcefully. Just the News reports Blanche's announcement of Quiñones' departure and calls post-midterm departures "not atypical."

All sources: 21 articles from 18 outlets

Liberal (11)

Center (4)

Conservative (6)

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