Lead prosecutor against John Brennan removed from case
by Mary McCue Bell · The Washington TimesA federal prosecutor investigating one of President Trump’s political enemies has reportedly been pulled off the case.
The Justice Department removed career Miami federal prosecutor Maria Medetis Long, who was leading the probe into John Brennan for months, after she resisted pressure to bring charges more quickly, CNN reported.
She reportedly notified attorneys representing people involved in the case that, as of Friday, she would no longer be handling the probe.
The investigation into Mr. Brennan, the former CIA director, revolves around a debunked 2017 finding that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election to secure Mr. Trump’s win.
The president has long urged prosecutors to pursue Mr. Brennan, one of the instigators of the Russia probe that Mr. Trump calls a hoax.
Those handling the case have pushed back against demands to bring charges against Mr. Brennan faster, CNN reported, signaling to Justice Department officials that they don’t believe the case has a strong standing.
The case is reportedly moving ahead anyway, as investigators have recently conducted interviews with witnesses and issued a fresh round of subpoenas. Ms. Medetis Long’s team sent out several rounds of subpoenas and requests for documents from Congress, plus is seeking witness interviews.
The FBI also plans to question roughly a half-dozen witnesses in its criminal inquiry, Reuters reported.
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Miami U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quinones reportedly told DOJ officials that charges could still be months away, which was unacceptable to the officials.
Prosecutors are focused on allegations that Mr. Brennan lied in his congressional testimony about the intelligence assessment.
He told House investigators that Russia “brazenly interfered” in U.S. elections, but did not label it “collusion.” An investigation did not find that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia.
Mr. Brennan’s lawyer wrote to the chief District Court judge in Miami in December that there was no “legally justifiable basis” for the investigation.
• Mary McCue Bell can be reached at mbell@washingtontimes.com.