DOJ National Security Lawyer John Eisenberg Resigns After Midterm Election
Two officials leave DOJ
Eisenberg’s departure was announced by the Justice Department on Friday. Another Trump-appointed official, Jason Reding Quiñones, also resigned that day from his position as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
Eisenberg was the second assistant attorney general to step down that week. His resignation came two days after Democrats won back control of both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections.
Epstein files review expands
The National Security Division was assigned to manage redactions in millions of investigative pages related to Jeffrey Epstein, an accused sex trafficker. Congress mandated the work amid increasing pressure to release the files.
The review was later broadened to include the FBI, the Criminal Division and the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan. Together, those offices assigned 400 attorneys to examine about 5.2 million pages.
Division handles national security
Established several years after the September 11 attacks, the division oversees counterterrorism and counterintelligence work, export-control enforcement and reviews of foreign investment in U.S. companies. It has also been involved in high-profile cases during Trump’s presidency.
Among those matters were major leak investigations involving journalists, including Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson. Her home was raided earlier this year during an Espionage Act investigation into a government contractor.
Other high-profile assignments
In December, Bondi directed law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors to focus on investigating and prosecuting people linked to the antifa movement or considered extremist. The National Security Division was also involved in the first case brought before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court.
The federal immigration court is decades old and operates in secret, using classified evidence in deportation cases involving suspected alien terrorists. Those targeted may not have been charged with a crime.
Key points
- John Eisenberg resigned as the Justice Department’s National Security Division assistant attorney general on Friday.
- Jason Reding Quiñones also resigned Friday as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
- A total of 400 attorneys were assigned to review about 5.2 million Epstein-related pages.
- The division handles national security work and has taken part in several high-profile investigations and cases.