Eisenberg and Dhillon also leaving after Democratic midterm wins
Jason Reding Quiñones, the US attorney who has overseen the Justice Department’s so-called “grand conspiracy” investigation into President Donald Trump’s rivals, announced Friday that he is leaving the department. John Eisenberg, who led the department’s national security division, is also leaving. The two are among several Justice Department officials to depart in recent days after sweeping Democratic wins in the midterm elections, and Democrats have pledged to use their majorities in the House and Senate to conduct aggressive oversight of the department.
Quiñones, the US attorney for the southern district of Florida, had been overseeing an inquiry into whether former top government officials engaged in a “grand conspiracy” to violate Trump’s rights when they investigated him after the 2020 election. The inquiry’s targets included former CIA director John Brennan, among others, and conservative allies had held high hopes for the investigation.
But the probe has faced personnel issues, and no charges have been filed. “The ‘grand conspiracy’ case into the lawfare against the president is essentially dead now,” Julie Kelly, a conservative commentator, posted on X.
Attorney General Todd Blanche thanked Quiñones for his tenure. “We are grateful for Jason’s leadership in combating violent crime, drug trafficking, sex trafficking and transnational crime, including the indictment of Raúl Castro,” Blanche said in a statement.
Eisenberg led the department’s national security division, which oversees terrorism and espionage cases, among others. He previously served in Trump’s first administration and has worked as a top lawyer for the National Security Council. “He has served with distinction, strengthening our nation’s ability to address threats, both foreign and domestic,” Blanche said in a post on X.
Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the department’s civil rights division, announced Thursday that she is leaving. Dhillon had sought to depart before the midterms, and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles asked her to stay on until after election day.
Dhillon told the Guardian she submitted her resignation letter on 13 October, before the 60 Minutes interview aired, and that Wiles asked her to stay on until at least early November. She had indicated to reporters in August that she intended to return to private practice when she left the department, according to Bloomberg.
CBS News reported Thursday that Trump sought to dismiss Dhillon after her October appearance on 60 Minutes for not more forcefully defending efforts to prosecute non-citizens and send monitors to the polls. Dhillon said her letter predates that appearance.
The resignations follow the midterm-season run-up in which the Justice Department pursued criminal cases against critics of President Trump and filed election lawsuits against California and Alaska, as MSI previously reported.