Prosecutor Resigns from Justice Department Review of Russia Probe Origins

Why it matters locally: The prosecutor who resigned from the Justice Department review of the Russia probe origins is a former federal prosecutor from Utah. While his resignation is a national story, his past affiliation may be of interest to some Utahns.

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WASHINGTON – A prosecutor leading a Justice Department review has resigned from his position. He had overseen an inquiry into aspects of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The prosecutor, a former federal prosecutor from Utah, was appointed to the role by Attorney General William Barr in 2019. He focused on whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials engaged in misconduct during the Russia investigation. The prosecutor confirmed his resignation to The Associated Press on Thursday. He did not provide further details regarding his departure. His appointment followed repeated statements by then-President Donald Trump regarding alleged bias within the FBI and other government agencies during the original Russia investigation, known as Operation Crossfire Hurricane. The Justice Department's Inspector General, Michael Horowitz, released a report in December 2019, which found serious errors and omissions in the FBI's applications for surveillance warrants targeting a former Trump campaign adviser. However, Horowitz's report concluded that political bias did not motivate the FBI to open the investigation itself. Attorney General Barr had tasked the prosecutor with conducting a broader review, which extended beyond the scope of Horowitz's inspector general investigation. The prosecutor's inquiry included examining intelligence gathering by the CIA and other agencies. The Justice Department has not yet announced a successor for the prosecutor's role in the ongoing review.