Washington, Feb. 18 – Washington's senior prosecutor resigned Tuesday, calling an inappropriate request for President Trump's appointee to launch a criminal investigation into government contracts awarded under former President Biden was quoted.
Dennis Chen, who oversees criminal cases at the U.S. Lawyer's office in Washington, was ordered in a letter reviewed by Reuters to open an investigation into contracts she didn't identify, and the demands are not supported by evidence. He said he believes. .
When she refuses to start a large juice investigation due to lack of evidence, she instead ordered her to pursue the seizure of assets to prevent contract recipients from lowering government funds. He said he was.
“I am proud to serve in the US Department of Justice and this office for over 24 years,” Chan wrote in a letter to interim US lawyer Ed Martin. “During my tenure across many different administrations, I have always been led by the oaths I have taken… to support and defend the Constitution.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. Lawyer's Office and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Her resignation is the latest prosecutor from the Department of Professional Justice to protest what is considered inappropriate political interference by the Trump administration in criminal investigations.
Dozens of professional judicial officers, typically in one administration and in cities, including Washington and New York, have been fired or quit after Trump took office on January 20th, and he was left to He vowed to rapidly shake up the department he said. It was used against him during his years.
Approximately 20 prosecutors have been reassigned to investigate Trump supporters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The Trump administration has sought to freeze Shutter federal agencies, including government funds, fire service and the US International Development Agency.
In her letter, Chan said that he was initially ordered to begin an investigation into whether the contract was illegally awarded during the Biden administration.
However, after reviewing documents provided by the Deputy Attorney General's Office, she was sufficient to justify the investigation of the Great Jury's investigation into crimes such as fraud and conspiracy to fraud the United States. He said he determined there was no evidence.
After she rejected a request for a criminal investigation, Trump administration officials ordered them to change courses and pursue a freeze on assets.
Cheung said he consulted with officials at the FBI Washington Field Office.
Ultimately, she said they decided to send a letter to the bank “advising a 30-day management freeze on certain assets.”
After the letter was sent, she said that Martin and the second official in the office called Monday night and said the letter was not appropriate, and they would soon send the second letter to the bank. I ordered it to. of criminal investigations.
“When you explained that the amount of evidence did not support the action, you said you believed there was sufficient evidence,” she wrote.
“Based on the evidence I reviewed, I do not believe there is sufficient evidence to issue the letter you described, including the possibility of seizing a particular account identified. It contains sufficient evidence to tell the bank that there is a cause.”
In her letter, Chang said she was ordered to resign. She announced her departure early Tuesday.
