S.D. Florida U.S. Attorney Resigns After Midterm Defeat
Jason Reding Quiñones departs the Justice Department, ending his tenure as the lead prosecutor for the controversial 'grand conspiracy' investigation into prior Trump investigations.
By Aiko Brooks ·
Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida will undergo a leadership change following the resignation of U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the departure on X on Friday, marking the second high-level exit from the Justice Department this week after Republican losses in the midterm elections.
Reding Quiñones had led the office responsible for the so-called 'grand conspiracy' probe. That investigation examined federal law enforcement officials involved in earlier inquiries into President Donald Trump. The legal theory behind the case argued that separate investigations into Trump constituted a coordinated effort to violate his rights.
The probe aimed to connect actions from the 2016 campaign with the more recent investigations led by Special Counsel Jack Smith. Those Smith probes resulted in now-dismissed charges against Trump regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at Mar-A-Lago. Despite the scope of the inquiry, no formal charges had been filed directly under the 'grand conspiracy' banner before the resignation.
Blanche praised Reding Quiñones in a social media post, citing his work in combating violent crime, drug trafficking, and transnational crime. The Attorney General specifically noted the indictment of Raúl Castro as a key achievement during Reding Quiñones's tenure. Blanche stated that the Department was grateful for the U.S. Attorney's service to the country.
Reding Quiñones posted his own message on social media upon leaving the post. He described his departure as a moment of immense pride in the team's accomplishments and expressed profound gratitude for the chance to serve. His exit follows the resignation of Harmeet Dhillon, the head of the Civil Rights Division, who left on Thursday.
Stacey Young, a former Justice Department lawyer and head of the group Justice Connection, characterized Reding Quiñones as a 'Don Quixote' tilting at the windmill of the conspiracy theory. She stated that his departure follows the path of others who pursued what she called an impossible dream. Young advised that his successor should heed the counsel of former Attorney General Robert Jackson to select cases with the most certain proof and greatest public harm.
Joe diGenova, a prosecutor who worked under Reding Quiñones in the Southern District of Florida, resigned in September. He attributed his departure to Justice Department officials in headquarters attempting to take over the investigation. DiGenova told NBC News that while everyone was initially in their lane, boundaries were crossed, prompting his decision to leave the agency.
The Justice Department continues to pursue other legal actions against political opponents of President Trump. A judge recently dismissed a case against two former FBI officials accused of lying to Congress. Additionally, the administration failed to indict former White House official Cassidy Hutchinson, a key witness for the January 6 committee. Federal prosecutors are also preparing a case against former FBI Director James Comey regarding alleged contacts with a New York Times reporter in 2016.
