The Justice Department plans to seek the resignation of most U.S. attorneys appointed by former President Trump
Donald TrumpBiden to move ahead with billion UAE weapons sale approved by Trump Fox News hires high-profile defense team in Dominion defamation lawsuit Associate indicted in Gaetz scandal cooperating with DOJ: report MORE, CNN reported Monday.
The transition move between administrations is expected to impact 56 U.S. attorneys who were confirmed by the Senate, a senior Justice Department official told CNN. The official said the calls for such resignations may begin as early as Tuesday.
The official said the process is anticipated to take weeks but did not indicate when the resignations would take effect. Department officials reportedly have scheduled a call with U.S. attorneys for the transition.
But President Biden
Joe BidenIRS to roll out payments for ,000 child tax credit in July Capitol Police told not to use most aggressive tactics in riot response, report finds Biden to accompany first lady to appointment for 'common medical procedure' MORE’s Justice Department plans to keep at least two prosecutors to continue their work. Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson requested Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss to stay on during a Monday call in order to keep working on his investigation into the president's son, Hunter Biden, according to CNN.
Special counsel John DurhamJohn DurhamGarland stresses independence in first speech at DOJ Senate votes to confirm Garland as attorney general Special counsel investigating Russia probe to retire as US attorney MORE, appointed by former Attorney General William Barr
Bill BarrBoehner: Trump 'stepped all over their loyalty' by lying to followers Dominion: Ex-Michigan state senator 'sowing discord in our democracy' with election fraud claims Hunter Biden says he doesn't know if Delaware laptop was his MORE, will also be asked to continue his investigation into the origins of the previous probe into the Trump campaign’s links to Russia. But he will resign as U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut.
The Justice Department did not immediately return The Hill's request for comment.
The move to ask for the resignation of a previous administration's appointed U.S. attorneys is seen as a mostly routine move.
Trump’s first attorney general, Jeff Sessions
Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsBiden picks vocal Trump critics to lead immigration agencies The Hill's Morning Report - Biden assails 'epidemic' of gun violence amid SC, Texas shootings Biden administration should resist 'slush-fund' settlements MORE, called on 46 U.S. attorneys appointed by former President Obama to resign. Currently, 25 of the 94 U.S. attorneys are operating in an acting manner after several appointed by Trump resigned following his election loss.
Acting U.S. Attorney for D.C. Michael Sherwin, a career prosecutor appointed by Barr, is also expected to keep pursuing investigations into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Biden has chosen Merrick Garland
Merrick GarlandBudget tasks DOJ with turnaround of policing, voting rights, hate crimes Progressive group ramps up pressure on Justice Breyer to retire The Hill's Morning Report - Biden assails 'epidemic' of gun violence amid SC, Texas shootings MORE to serve as his attorney general, but Garland has yet to be confirmed by the Senate. His confirmation hearing was initially requested to begin on Monday, but Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamGOP lawmaker 'encouraged' by Biden's Afghanistan strategy Biden sparks bipartisan backlash on Afghanistan withdrawal Graham: 'A full withdrawal from Afghanistan is dumber than dirt and devilishly dangerous' MORE (S.C.), the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, denied that request in early February citing Trump's second impeachment trial, beginning on Tuesday, as as a "roadblock."
The House impeached Trump a week before the end of his presidency, on a charge of inciting the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 that resulted in five deaths. Trump’s legal team has called for the Senate to dismiss the trial, saying the effort is unconstitutional because he no longer holds office.
