The Justice Department is bringing aboard an attorney with ties to former President Donald Trump to handle the ongoing investigation of ex-CIA Director John Brennan, according to CNN reporting on Saturday.
Network sources indicate that Joseph diGenova, who previously served on Trump’s legal team for various matters, will be assigned to the Justice Department’s Southern District of Florida office to work on the Brennan investigation. Brennan, who now works as a television news commentator and has been a vocal Trump critic, has denounced any investigations targeting him as politically motivated and an abuse of the justice system.
Neither the Justice Department nor diGenova’s legal practice responded to Reuters’ requests for statements. Brennan’s legal representation has previously stated that no legitimate grounds exist for such an investigation.
News of diGenova’s assignment follows the recent departure of Maria Medetis Long, a senior career prosecutor with the Miami U.S. Attorney’s office, who informed lawyers connected to the case that she would no longer be involved.
Reuters previously reported that the FBI intends to conduct interviews with approximately six individuals, including former intelligence agency officials, over the coming weeks as the Brennan investigation continues.
A Justice Department official revealed to Reuters that internal dissatisfaction exists regarding how slowly the investigation has moved forward. Another source with knowledge of the matter indicated that some witness interviews may not occur until June.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has encountered pressure to pursue prosecutions against individuals Trump views as political adversaries, following the removal of his predecessor Pam Bondi due to Trump’s displeasure with her approach to investigations he had requested.
DiGenova, a former federal prosecutor, served on Trump’s defense team during Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference in 2016. He later joined pro-Trump attorneys in efforts to challenge the 2020 election outcome, drawing attention when he suggested that a former Trump administration cybersecurity official should be “Taken out at dawn and shot.”
