Counselor to the Attorney General Joe diGenova resigned abruptly on Thursday from a significant investigation into former Obama administration officials accused of promoting collusion claims between Donald Trump and Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign.
DiGenova confirmed his resignation in a phone call, stating it was a "privilege and an honor to serve the president and the department." When asked if he had lost focus on the probe, diGenova responded, "If you want indictments where there’s no evidence, you have an ethical problem."
However, other sources indicated that diGenova had lost the confidence of both the Department of Justice and the White House. These sources suggested that the 81-year-old prosecutor, who also served as a former Trump defense lawyer, was allegedly "slow-rolling" indictments and becoming sidetracked by excessive details. One source mentioned that diGenova had been sharing "unrealistic expectations" with the president regarding the probe's potential outcomes, leading to a disagreement with Attorney General Todd Blanche. Additionally, prosecutors assigned from the main DOJ in Washington D.C. were reportedly sidelined upon their arrival.
The departure was initially reported by ABC News.