Dana Boente resigns as federal prosecutor in Northern Virginia

[pnwmom]

Source: The Hill

The U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who also holds a top position in the Department of Justice, has resigned from office, a spokesman confirmed to The Washington Post on Friday.

U.S. Attorney Dana Boente, an Obama appointee, will remain in his post until President Trump nominates and confirms his replacement.

Boente is currently the acting assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice's National Security Division, where he was placed after serving briefly as attorney general between Trump's firing of Sally Yates and the confirmation of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions praised Boente as "a dedicated public servant" after his stint leading the department. Boente will be replaced by John Demers, who has yet to be confirmed.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/357554-dana-boente-resigns-as-federal-prosecutor-in-northern-virginia

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This district in Virginia is where some of Mueller's grand jury work has been taking place, according to reports.

Bill Palmer's optimistic viewpoint is that Boente wouldn't have resigned now if he was still needed there in connection with that investigation.

http://www.palmerreport.com/opinion/boente-mueller-dana/5724/

Dana Boente, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced his resignation today. By all accounts, it feels more like a retirement. There are no fireworks, no controversy, no immediate abandonment of his post, and no sign that Donald Trump tried to force him out. Boente has been a key player in the Trump Russia investigation, so various pundits are knee-jerk interpreting this as being a catastrophic development. But considering the circumstances, it very much reads like just the opposite: Boente is finally exiting because Special Counsel Robert Mueller has progressed so far, he no longer needs Boente’s services.

[The_jackalope]

1. Looks like it's go time. nt

[Wwcd]

2. Boente's work is complete.

Next up, Mueller

[SunSeeker]

3. Rachel discussed his departure tonight and it appears he was forced to resign.

As of two days ago, he was telling people he was looking forward to going back to his position as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, after serving as Acting Deputy A.G.

However, he was a witness to some of the conversations Trump had with Comey which showed obstruction of justice, and was instructed by Trump to fire Sally Yates. If he is going to be a witness, he can't also serve as U.S. Attorney, particularly in the Eastern District where one of the grand juries was impaneled.

[Hortensis]

4. Rachel speculates that he may have resigned because he is a witness.

Rachel speculated, “We don’t know why [Boente quit]. We are trying to figure it out. We are literally actively trying, as I speak, to figure that out,”...

“Special counsel Robert Mueller is reportedly looking into whether or not the president obstructed justice when he fired the FBI director, James Comey. ... James Comey has testified to Congress under oath that the president contacted him inappropriately, many times, to put pressure on him about the Russia investigation before he fired him. According to James Comey, one of the witnesses to one of those overtures by the president was Dana Boente.”

If Boente is a witness in the obstruction case, that might be a reason that he could no longer continue in his position."

But it happened very quickly. Resignation to further Mueller's, and his, work, perhaps related to the sealed indictment? Or did Trump force him out?

[Glimmer of Hope]

5. Was he in the oval office when 45 spilled secrets to his Russians?

[wishstar]

6. New article today says he was asked to resign by Sessions chief of staff at DOJ on Wednesday

Not a voluntary retirement and not so he can serve at witness against Trump, but instead appears part of purge of Obama holdovers who are not Trump appointees.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/dana-boente-senior-federal-prosecutor-obama-holdover-submits-resignation-n815331

[pnwmom]

7. They're shameless. n/t

[The_jackalope]

8. Sessions was a day late and a dollar short.

The freight train done slipped its brakes and is rolling away down the grade toward the White House. Sauve qui peut!

[Calista241]

9. He is also continuing to serve until the confirmation of his successor.

Unlikely a witness in any probe would be allowed to continue to work pending the appointment and confirmation process.

[Kaleva]

10. And Dem Senators Warner & Kaine will recommend nominees to replace him

So Boente could be around for awhile if Trump goes against tradition and nominates someone not recommended by Kaine and Warner.