Virginia federal prosecutor resigns after pressure from Trump over Letitia James case
So far, it is unknown who might replace Siebert, who was nominated by Trump after working in the Eastern District of Virginia for more than a decade.
Erik Siebert in a file image.
The Associated Press (AP) reported Friday that U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert resigned under pressure from President Donald Trump's administration. Siebert, who did not file any charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James and whose investigation into alleged mortgage fraud against her did not result in criminal charges, confirmed her departure in an email sent to colleagues.
As reported by AP, Siebert praised her colleagues in the email as the "finest and most exceptional" employees at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), but made no mention of the pressures that preceded her resignation. So far, it is unknown who might replace Siebert, who was nominated by Trump after working in the Eastern District of Virginia for more than a decade. Several media outlets noted that Siebert's top deputy, Maya Song, will also leave her position as first assistant U.S. attorney and work as a line prosecutor.
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Trump publicly called for her dismissal
Her resignation came just hours after President Trump commented Friday that Siebert should be fired as soon as possible. His comment came in the middle of a question-and-answer session with reporters in the Oval Office, where he was asked if he wanted to remove Siebert for the way he handled the numerous mortgage fraud allegations against James.
"Yeah, I want him out, yeah" said Trump, who added that Siebert did not meet with his approval by having the support of Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, whom he called two of the worst figures in the party. "It was approved by two Democratic senators who, in my opinion, are among the worst," the Republican leader told reporters in the Oval Office.
The James case
"At the time of the 2023 Norfolk, VA property purchase and mortgage, Ms. James was the siting Attorney General of New York and is required by law to have her primary residence in the state of New York—even though her mortgage applications list her intent to have the Norfolk, VA property as her primary home," the agency wrote in its referral.
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