The Justice Department removed its lead prosecutor from the criminal investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan after she reportedly concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring charges over allegations he lied to Congress about Russia election interference intelligence.
Prosecutor Replacement Sparks Questions
Maria Medetis Long, who heads the national security section for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami’s Southern District of Florida, informed attorneys late this week that she was off the case. Sources familiar with the matter told CBS News her removal came after she told U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quinones she did not believe prosecutors had enough evidence to move forward. The Justice Department claimed the personnel shift was routine, stating attorneys are regularly reassigned to allocate resources effectively.
Chris DeLorenz now joins the prosecution team, bringing controversy of his own. DeLorenz previously clerked for U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon during the investigation into President Trump’s handling of classified documents and recently worked as an adviser in the deputy attorney general’s office before transferring to Miami. The personnel change occurs as the Justice Department pushes to accelerate the Brennan investigation, which stems from a Republican-led House Judiciary Committee referral last October.
Investigation Origins and Scope
The probe centers on whether Brennan committed perjury during 2023 congressional testimony about the CIA’s involvement in creating the 2017 intelligence assessment regarding Russia’s 2016 election interference efforts. The assessment incorporated elements from the controversial Steele dossier, which contained unverified allegations against then-candidate Trump. Although the events in question occurred in 2016, well beyond the typical statute of limitations, prosecutors are examining whether Brennan’s sworn testimony to Congress seven years later constituted perjury.
Multiple Investigations Underway
Federal prosecutors in Miami are conducting a separate investigation based on a referral from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who claimed without evidence that Brennan and other Obama administration officials manufactured the 2017 intelligence assessment. A former CIA official is scheduled for an interview with federal prosecutors and FBI agents in early May as a witness in the ongoing investigation. Former U.S. Attorney Greg Brower, who served under President George W. Bush, disputed the Justice Department’s characterization that removing the lead prosecutor represents normal practice.