Erik Siebert, who is serving as the interim US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has announced plans to resign his position after informing the Department of Justice (DOJ) that his office found insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges over alleged mortgage fraud by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
ABC News cited unnamed sources in reporting that Siebert’s planned resignation follows remarks made by President Trump this afternoon that he wanted Siebert removed from his job. Siebert was nominated by Trump for the US Attorney position in May, but in a press briefing at the White House today Trump expressed unhappiness that Siebert was endorsed by Virginia’s Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner.
“When I saw that he got two senators, two gentlemen that are bad news as far as I’m concerned — when I saw that he got approved by those two men, I said, pull it, because he can’t be any good,” Trump said.
When a reporter asked if he would fire Siebert, Trump answered, “Yeah, I want him out.”
The five-month investigation by Siebert’s office into whether James committed fraud in obtaining a mortgage on a Virginia residence reportedly failed to generate any clear evidence that James intentionally made false statements to secure favorable loan terms. Trump himself has reportedly pressured the DOJ leadership to push ahead with the case against James while Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Ed Martin, the head of the DOJ’s Weaponization Working Group, put additional pressure on Siebert’s office demanding an indictment.
Trump told reporters today that James was “very guilty of something, but I really don’t know.”
James has been a longtime political adversary of the president and was responsible for prosecuting the civil case that found Trump and the Trump Organization made false valuation statements on their properties to gain more favorable loan terms. The mortgage fraud claims against James were generated by FHFA’s Pulte, who submitted similar claims to the DOJ regarding Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook.
Siebert has been with the Eastern District of Virginia office since 2010, joining as an assistant US Attorney and being promoted to deputy criminal supervisor for the Richmond Division. Prior to joining the Department of Justice, he served as a police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC, and was a law clerk for Judge Henry E. Hudson on the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and received his law degree from the University of Richmond Law School in 2009.
Abbe Lowell, an attorney representing James, issued a statement that said, “Punishing this prosecutor, a Trump appointee, for doing his job sends a clear and chilling message that anyone who dares uphold the law over politics will face the same fate.”
Photo courtesy of C-Span
This is what you all voted for. Why are you all so quiet now?
YES, this is EXACTLY what I voted for…you try to kill DJT, literally, and with LAWFARE, and expect nothing to come of it?
Thank you for sticking to your standards….and the law! You are a Patriot!
So Siebert has 15 years experience in this office, has a 5 month investigation into James, and determines there’s not enough evidence to prosecute. And for this, he loses his job??? Does Trump expect him to proceed with a flimsy case or worse, manufacture evidence? Siebert is a professional and chose the law and his ethics over a tyrant’s political pressure. But what a shame to affect his legal career after decades of service.
So Pulte’s own parents committed mortgage fraud. Why haven’t they been referred to the Justice Dept. for prosecution? Oh, I see: The Dept’s weaponization division only goes after Trump’s enemies.
The article highlights the troubling intersection of politics and justice, with political pressure seemingly overriding a thorough investigations findings. Its concerning to see a prosecutor, appointed by Trump, lose his job over political dissent rather than professional judgment. This situation raises serious questions about the integrity of our legal system and the respect for due process in the face of political retaliation.schedule 1
This article deeply concerns me. Its appalling to see political pressure overriding a justified investigations findings. Its a clear abuse of power and a disservice to the rule of law.
It sure looked like the Biden/Harris administration was practicing law fare and weaponization of government when they were in power. They changed the rules and now they don’t like it when the new rules are applied to them.