Trump-aligned attorney Kurt Olsen resigns from Department of Justice investigation
Attorney Kurt Olsen, a defender of Donald Trump's 2020 election claims, has resigned from the Department of Justice investigation examining alleged conspiracies against the administration.
Attorney Kurt Olsen, who supported Donald Trump's claims regarding the 2020 election results, has resigned from the United States Department of Justice investigation.
The investigation, intended to examine whether former administration officials conspired against the Republican president, is suffering another blow, a source familiar with the details stated on Monday.
Investigation Turmoil and Resignations
The resignation of prosecutor Kurt Olsen from the so-called "big conspiracy" investigation marks further turmoil in a probe that has been moving slowly and facing delays since its inception. According to the Associated Press, prosecutors in the case are attempting to establish a right-wing conspiracy theory that has yet to be fully defined, alleging a conspiracy was hatched against Donald Trump.
Olsen's departure comes just weeks after the retirement of another Trump associate, Joseph diGenova, who led the high-profile investigation in Florida and resigned earlier this month without filing a single criminal indictment. The source confirming Olsen's resignation spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of personnel matters. Olsen himself did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Background and Prior Legal Battles
Olsen's prominence as an election denier bolstered his standing within Trump's circle, but his lack of experience as a Department of Justice prosecutor made him an unusual choice for such a high-profile investigation. Additional reports by the Associated Press reveal that Olsen previously assisted Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton in an attempt to overturn Joe Biden's 2020 victory.
"Olsen also represented Kari Lake in her bid to overturn her loss in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race, a move that resulted in court sanctions against him for false statements."
Investigators in the case have focused their attention on several major investigations previously conducted against Donald Trump, including the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the classified documents case at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. They have sought testimony from senior officials who participated in those investigations in an effort to uncover signs of a conspiracy designed to deprive Donald Trump of his rights.
Future of the Probe
Olsen's role in the investigation made headlines earlier this month when the attorney for former CIA Director John Brennan revealed that he had spoken with Olsen about a subpoena instructing Brennan to testify before a grand jury in Fort Pierce on October 25.
According to the attorney, Olsen informed him that Brennan remains the target of a narrower investigation concerning false statements. This is the latest sign of upheaval plaguing the conspiracy investigation, which has been ongoing for a year.
