Second Prosecutor Exits Justice Dept 'Grand Conspiracy' Inquiry

A lawyer who supported President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election has resigned from a Justice Department investigation examining whether former government officials conspired against the president, a person familiar with the matter said on Monday.

The departure of Kurt Olsen marks another disruption to an inquiry that has moved unevenly since it began, as prosecutors pursue a loosely defined right-wing theory of a conspiracy against Trump. It comes only weeks after Joseph diGenova, another Trump ally who had been leading the Florida-based investigation, left the team.

The person who confirmed the resignation spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. Olsen did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Monday.

Olsen's profile as an election denier raised his standing in Trump's circle, but he lacked experience as a Justice Department prosecutor, making him an unusual choice for such a prominent investigation.

Investigators have focused on several major probes of Trump, including the inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election and his retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. They have sought testimony from officials involved in both investigations as they look for evidence of a possible conspiracy to deprive Trump of his rights.

Olsen's role drew attention earlier this month when an attorney for former CIA Director John Brennan said he had discussed with Olsen a subpoena requiring Brennan to testify before a grand jury in Fort Pierce on Oct. 25. The attorney said Olsen told him Brennan also remains a "target" of a narrower false statements investigation.

The resignation is the latest sign of upheaval in the yearlong conspiracy investigation. Last April, a lead national security prosecutor in the Brennan investigation was replaced on the team after raising questions about the strength of the case. Days later, diGenova was sworn in.

DiGenova, 81, served as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia during the Reagan administration and has long been a prominent Trump ally, backing efforts to overturn the 2020 election loss and repeatedly claiming publicly that the president was the victim of an intelligence community conspiracy. He resigned earlier this month without bringing any criminal case.

It remains unclear whether any charges will be filed, or what information has been gathered to support the idea of a plot against Trump by the government officials who investigated him.

Olsen, who unsuccessfully pressed the Justice Department in 2020 to back the president's false claims, joined the department months ago after serving in a White House post as director of election security and integrity. He helped Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton launch a longshot bid to have the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Joe Biden's 2020 win and later represented Kari Lake in her attempt to overturn her loss in the 2022 Arizona governor's race. Arizona courts sanctioned Olsen for making false statements in that case.