D.C. federal prosecutor resigns after declining to take part in plan to freeze EPA grant funding
The leader of the criminal division stepped down saying there was basis to freeze Biden-era environmental grants but not yet evidence to open a criminal probe.
The head of the criminal division in the U.S. attorney’s office in D.C. resigned Tuesday morning after declining to comply with an urgent Trump administration demand to freeze the assets of a multibillion-dollar Biden administration environmental grant initiative and launch a criminal investigation, according to two sources familiar with the matter and the official’s resignation letter.
Veteran prosecutor Denise Cheung’s resignation came in response to a Justice Department effort to assist President Donald Trump’s new head of the Environmental Protection Agency, who said last week that he would try to rescind $20 billion in grants awarded by the Biden administration for climate and clean energy projects, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss it publicly.
Cheung wrote in her resignation letter that while she and the FBI were ready to ask a bank to freeze the assets immediately, she refused a last-minute order from interim U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. to open what she called an unfounded investigation sought by the office of acting Deputy Attorney General Emil S. Bove, according to a resignation letter obtained by The Washington Post.
“When I explained that the quantum of evidence did not support this action, you stated that you believe that there was sufficient evidence,” Cheung wrote of a demand by Martin to write the bank a second letter ordering the funds frozen “pursuant to a criminal investigation.” She added, “Because I believe that I lack the legal authority to issue such a letter, I told you that I would not do so. You then asked for my resignation.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2025/02/18/federal-prosecutor-dc-resigns/
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