The top federal prosecutor resigned, citing the Trump administration’s political pressure

The top federal prosecutor in D.C. resigned, citing pressure from the Trump administration to pursue an asset freeze and an unsubstantiated criminal investigation.

At the US Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., a senior federal prosecutor in charge of criminal prosecutions resigned, citing unlawful political pressure from officials appointed by the administration of former President Donald Trump.

Citing requests from Trump administration officials to begin a criminal investigation and freeze assets associated with a government contract issued under President Joe Biden’s administration, Denise Cheung, the office’s chief of criminal prosecutions, resigned on Tuesday.

In her letter of resignation to interim US Attorney Ed Martin, Cheung claimed that the evidence presented to her by the Deputy Attorney General’s office did not support the asset freeze or the inquiry.
She added, “I have been honored to work for more than 24 years at the US Department of Justice and in this office.”

“I have been guided by the oath I took … to support and defend the Constitution throughout my tenure, which has spanned many different administrations.”

Neither the business that had won the contract nor whose executive branch agency’s deal was being scrutinized were mentioned in the letter.

In protest of what they see as political meddling in criminal investigations during the Trump administration, career Justice Department attorneys have resigned in increasing numbers, including Cheung.