J.P. Cooney, who previously collaborated with former special counsel Jack Smith during the criminal case against President Donald Trump, is now campaigning for a seat in the Virginia House of Representatives as a Democrat.
“I was dismissed from President Trump’s Justice Department due to my role in prosecuting him. But I won’t allow Trump, or anyone else, to dissuade me from serving the public. My name is J.P. Cooney, and I am running for Congress in Virginia’s 7th District,” he announced in a recent statement.
Fox News Digital recently reached out to Cooney’s campaign and the White House for further details.
As Chief Deputy to Special Counsel Jack Smith, Cooney acted as the lead prosecutor in Trump’s criminal trial focusing on obstruction of justice and conspiracy. Smith has publicly endorsed Cooney, calling him a person of integrity dedicated to the rule of law.
Interestingly, Cooney’s candidacy is for a district that doesn’t exist yet. Virginia’s 7th Congressional District is set to undergo changes due to a Democratic redistricting initiative that still faces legal hurdles and must be approved through a referendum.
Cooney expressed concerns regarding the current state of congressional checks on presidential power, stating, “I often find myself lying awake at night, uneasy about whether Donald Trump has our country’s best interests at heart. This represents a significant shift in American leadership and politics.”
