Trump-Aligned Lawyer DiGenova Put In Charge Of Brennan Perjury Probe After Career Prosecutor Removed
The Justice Department has installed Trump-aligned lawyer Joseph DiGenova to oversee the criminal probe of former CIA director John Brennan. The move follows the removal this week of Maria Medetis Long, the lead prosecutor in the Southern District of Florida handling the Brennan probe. She told supervisors she believed there was not ample justification to bring criminal charges against Brennan. The Justice Department said such personnel changes are routine.
DiGenova will serve as counselor to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche while leading the probe from the Southern District of Florida. He is a conservative lawyer who promoted 2020 "stolen election" claims. He once posted that former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director Chris Krebs should be "drawn and quartered" and "shot," remarks that led to an apology and a lawsuit. Reuters reported the FBI plans to interview about six witnesses, including former U.S. intelligence officials, as it ramps up the probe. The inquiry traces to a 2025 referral by Rep. Jim Jordan alleging Brennan lied to Congress about the CIA's use of the Steele dossier in the 2016 Russia assessment. Medetis Long had agreed weeks earlier to assist Miami U.S. Attorney Jason Quinones, and she emailed attorneys that she would no longer be working on the investigation.
Early reports noted only that the lead prosecutor was removed from the Brennan case. Subsequent reporting by MS NOW named Maria Medetis Long and said she had questioned the evidence, while CBS and Reuters identified Joseph DiGenova's role and the FBI's planned witness interviews. That coverage has stoked concern among some critics about politicization, drawing parallels to past instances when prosecutors were replaced to install loyalists. The Justice Department maintained the personnel changes are "completely healthy and normal" and routine practice.
📌 Key Facts
- The Justice Department has tapped conservative attorney and Trump ally Joseph DiGenova to oversee the Southern District of Florida criminal probe of former CIA Director John Brennan; DiGenova will serve as counselor to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche while leading the probe.
- The investigation stems from an October 2025 referral by Rep. Jim Jordan and the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee alleging Brennan made false statements to Congress in 2023 about the CIA's use of the Steele dossier and related aspects of the 2017 Russia-interference intelligence assessment.
- Maria Medetis Long, identified as the lead prosecutor from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, was removed from the case after telling superiors she believed there was not sufficient evidence to bring charges; she emailed attorneys saying she would no longer work on the investigation.
- Reports say the FBI has ramped up the Brennan probe and plans to interview about six witnesses, including former U.S. intelligence officials; witness interviews are ongoing and former Judge Aileen Cannon law clerk Chris DeLorenz has joined the Southern District of Florida prosecutorial team.
- Medetis Long had agreed weeks earlier to assist Miami U.S. Attorney Jason Quinones in investigating alleged law violations tied to how the Obama DOJ opened the Russia-interference investigation.
- Brennan has denied wrongdoing; the case is tied to continued scrutiny of the 2017 intelligence assessment on Russian interference that was critical in 2016–17 reporting and investigations.
- The Justice Department issued an on-the-record statement characterizing such personnel changes as 'completely healthy and normal' and a 'routine practice.'
- Coverage and critics draw a parallel to a prior instance in which President Trump removed a top prosecutor and installed a loyalist after concerns about evidence in politically sensitive cases (for example, matters involving James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James), raising questions about potential politicization of prosecutions.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Justice Department has tapped conservative attorney and Trump ally Joseph DiGenova to oversee the criminal investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan from the Southern District of Florida.
- DiGenova will serve as counselor to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche while leading the Brennan probe.
- A source told CBS News that Maria Medetis Long was removed from the case after she expressed concerns about the strength of the evidence.
- The article details DiGenova's history as a Trump campaign lawyer who advanced 2020 'stolen election' conspiracy theories and called for former CISA director Chris Krebs to be 'drawn and quartered' and 'shot,' comments that led to an apology and lawsuit.
- The Brennan investigation stems from an October referral by the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee chaired by Jim Jordan, alleging Brennan lied about the CIA's use of the Steele dossier in the 2016 Russia assessment.
- CBS notes the case has been 'heating up' with continued witness interviews and that former Judge Aileen Cannon law clerk Chris DeLorenz has joined the prosecutorial team in the Southern District of Florida.
- The piece draws a parallel to a prior instance in which Trump ousted the top prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia and installed a loyalist after concerns about evidence in cases targeting James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
- Identifies the lead prosecutor as Maria Medetis Long of the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of Florida.
- Reports she told superiors she believed there was not ample justification to bring criminal charges against John Brennan.
- Says she had agreed weeks earlier to help Miami U.S. Attorney Jason Quinones probe alleged law violations tied to how the Obama DOJ opened the Russia-interference investigation.
- Clarifies the probe stems from a 2025 referral by Rep. Jim Jordan alleging Brennan made false statements to Congress in 2023.
- Notes Medetis Long emailed attorneys on Thursday stating she would no longer be working on the investigation.
- Includes an on-the-record DOJ statement calling such personnel changes 'completely healthy and normal' and 'routine practice.'
- Adds Reuters reporting that the FBI is ramping up the Brennan probe and plans to interview about six witnesses, including former U.S. intelligence officials, in coming weeks.
- Reiterates that Brennan has denied wrongdoing and ties the case to scrutiny of the 2017 intelligence assessment on Russian interference helping Trump.