DOJ Demotes Virginia Criminal Chief as It Mulls Comey Case (1)

The Justice Department demoted a veteran criminal chief in the Eastern Virginia office that’s weighing key decisions in dismissed cases against two of Trump’s perceived enemies, people familiar with the move said.

Brian Samuels was replaced in recent days as criminal chief by Frank Bradsher, one of the office’s new transplants from North Carolina who’ve joined to support President Donald Trump’s handpicked US Attorney Lindsey Halligan, according to the two people familiar. It’s the latest in a series of personnel disruptions to the suburban Washington district that’s faced intense political pressure and uncertainty.

The removal of the Eastern Virginia criminal chief comes as the office is determining whether to appeal dismissed criminal indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) or bring new charges against the two. A federal judge threw out both cases last week by finding that Halligan was illegally appointed to lead the office.

Typically a decision to refile charges against either Comey or James would require sign-off by the criminal leader, but the US attorney can overrule any dissenting opinion.

The reason for Samuels’ demotion was not clear, said the individuals, who spoke on condition of anonymity to share sensitive office personnel matters.

After nearly two decades at the Eastern Virginia US attorney’s office, Samuels will now return to the line as an assistant US attorney, the people said. It’s not clear how long Bradsher will remain his successor.

Bradsher had briefly retired after a long career as a prosecutor in the Eastern District of North Carolina, before joining Halligan this fall as her executive assistant US attorney.

The switch-up adds more tumult to an Alexandria, Va.-based office where Trump forced out his initial choice for US attorney, Erik Siebert, due to his resistance to indicting Comey and James. The office’s first assistant, national security chief, and other supervisors were subsequently fired.

Scottie Howell, a spokesman for the Eastern District of Virginia US attorney’s office, declined to comment.