Second prosecutor resigns from Trump's 2020 election 'grand conspiracy' Justice Department probe
A second high profile prosecutor in Trump’s grand conspiracy Justice Department probe into whether former government officials conspired against him has abruptly resigned from his post. Kurt Olsen was one of the biggest backers of the 2020 rigged elections claims that Trump has championed for years.
Kurt Olsen, a lawyer who supported President Donald Trump's false claims about the 2020 election, has resigned from a Justice Department investigation into possible government official conspiracies against the Republican president, according to a source familiar with the matter. This resignation adds to the ongoing turmoil within the "grand conspiracy" probe, which has been ongoing since its start with investigators pursuing an unclear right-wing theory of a plot against Trump.
The departure of Olsen comes just weeks after fellow Trump ally, Joseph diGenova, stepped down as the investigation's leader in Florida. The source, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the personnel matters, did not request comment from Olsen, who declined to respond to the news. Olsen's prominence as an election denier made his involvement in the high-profile investigation somewhat unusual given his lack of experience as a Justice Department prosecutor.
The investigation has centered on multiple major inquiries into Trump, including the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and his retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The Justice Department has sought testimony from officials involved in these other probes as they search for any indications of a conspiracy to deny Trump his rights.
Olsen's participation in the investigation was highlighted when Brennan's attorney revealed they had discussed a subpoena compelling Brennan to testify before a Fort Pierce grand jury on October 25th. This recent development underscores the upheaval within the year-long conspiracy investigation. In April, a lead national security prosecutor in the Brennan investigation was replaced after raising doubts about the strength of the case, followed shortly by diGenova's appointment.
The 81-year-old diGenova, a former US attorney for the District of Columbia under the Reagan administration and a long-time Trump ally, was sworn in to lead the investigation. However, he has not brought any criminal cases to date. It remains uncertain whether any criminal charges will be filed or what evidence has been collected to support the alleged plot against Trump by government officials.
Olsen, who previously pushed for the Justice Department to back Trump's false election claims in 2020, joined the department recently after working in a White House position as director of election security and integrity. Olsen had previously assisted Texas' Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, in an unsuccessful attempt to get the US Supreme Court to overturn Joe Biden's 2020 win and represented Kari Lake in her bid to overturn her loss in the 2022 Arizona governor's race. Olsen faced sanctions from Arizona courts for making false statements in that case.
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