Justice Dept. to probe sudden departure of US attorney in Atlanta after Trump criticism

The Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General is reportedly launching an investigation into the sudden resignation and replacement of the U.S. attorney representing the Northern District of Georgia, according to The Washington Post.

The Post reported Thursday evening that the DOJ’s top watchdog would investigate the resignation of Byung J. Pak, who was appointed to the position in 2017 by former President Trump. Pak resigned earlier this month following criticism from the president about a supposed “never-Trumper U.S. Attorney” during a now-infamous call with Georgia’s secretary of state, during which Trump also asked officials to “find” more than 11,000 votes he would have needed to defeat President Biden in the state.

The now-former president replaced Pak days later with Bobby Christine, a top prosecutor from the Southern District of Georgia, with the Post reporting that Pak’s resignation came in response to a call from a senior Justice Department official urging him to resign.

Pak, who was the first Korean American to serve as a U.S. Attorney, said upon his exit earlier this month that he did his “best to be thoughtful and consistent, and to provide justice for my fellow citizens in a fair, effective and efficient manner.” His resignation came one day after The Washington Post published audio detailing Trump’s conversation with Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s secretary of state.

Representatives for the inspector general’s office declined to comment to the Post, and could not immediately be reached for comment by The Hill. A request for comment from the Justice Department’s general press line was not immediately answered, and the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Northern District of Georgia could also not be reached for comment after hours.