WaPo is reporting as breaking news that the nominee for U.S. Attorney of the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik S. Siebert, has resigned:
A top federal prosecutor in Virginia has resigned amid pressure from the Trump administration over his decision not to seek indictments against two of the president’s political foes, three people familiar with the matter said.
U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert, in the Eastern District of Virginia, submitted his resignation as the head of that office Friday evening, the people said, moments after President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office: “I want him out.”
Siebert was, of course, nominated by Trump. I wonder if this is the same as withdrawing the nomination, or if there’s a nuance I’m missing.
The rub here is that even a U.S. Attorney can end up in prison if they are caught and convicted of abusing their office. I don’t know Mr Siebert’s qualifications, and as he hadn’t been confirmed, there’s no news from the Senate as to same, but it appears that he knows enough about the law not to venture into a self-destructive disaster.
Trump, like any child, didn’t take well this news:
Early Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social that he had withdrawn Siebert’s nomination on Friday. “He didn’t quit, I fired him!” Trump said.
And the failure?
… a recent determination Siebert made that there was insufficient evidence to pursue a mortgage fraud indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), according to four people familiar with that investigation. Siebert also declined to prosecute former FBI director James B. Comey based on allegations lodged by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, two people familiar with that inquiry said.
And it’s worth noting that everyone against Siebert aren’t putting their liberty at risk, isn’t it?
Among those pushing for Siebert to be fired was Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, who has accused several of the president’s prominent adversaries, including James, of committing mortgage fraud, according to people familiar with the matter. They added that Ed Martin, the Justice Department official who is overseeing criminal investigations based on Pulte’s allegations, also pushed for Siebert to be removed.
Along with a President whose Republican-wing SCOTUS-bestowed immunity will presumably protect him as well. So we see the profound foolishness the decision in Trump v. United States.
This is perhaps more important than the persistent failures of the nominee for U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. She seems to just be a clown occupying an important position. Such is the fate of media personalities, and applies to social influencers just as much as conservative TV hosts.
