Manhattan County Attorney Alvin Brag talks to supporters in New York City, November 2, 2021.
Craig Ruttle AP
Two of the chief prosecutors who were investigating the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office against former President Donald Trump and his business have resigned, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office confirmed to CNBC on Wednesday.
The resignation of Carrie Dunn and Mark Orange came on Wednesday after a month-long break at the prosecutor’s office. presenting evidence before a grand juryreports The New York Times, which first reported departures.
“We are grateful for their services,” Daniel Filson, director of communications for the DA office, said in a statement to CNBC. “The investigation is ongoing. I can’t comment further. “
The resignations have raised questions about the state of the investigation. The Times, citing people familiar with the matter, reports that Alvin Bragg, the new Manhattan District Attorney, has expressed doubts that he will continue to build a case against Trump.
The Office of the Attorney General of New York Leticia James is conducting a corresponding criminal investigation against the Trump Organization as well as a civil investigation. Both offices are reportedly considering claims by former Trump personal lawyer Michael Cohen that the Trump Organization has deceptively distorted property valuations to get better taxes and loans.
A spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office told CNBC that the investigation “is still ongoing and a strong team is working on it.”
Orange and Dan did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
In this photo from August 12, 2002, lawyer Mark Pomerantz arrives in the Federal Court of New York. The New York Attorney’s Office, including recently hired former Mafia prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, met for the eighth time with Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen as part of a criminal investigation into the former president’s finances.
David Carp AP
Pomerantz was recruited for investigation from the private practice of then-Manhattan prosecutor Cyrus Vance Jr. because of his experience in white-collar affairs, NBC News reports. He participated in the interview of witnesses, according to NBC.
Dan appeared in court last year during charges against the Trump Organization and its former CFO, Allen Weisselberg, who pleaded not guilty to criminal fraud and tax evasion.
“Contrary to the defense’s claims, there is no clearer example of a campaign that should be prosecuted,” Dan said in the indictment.
Trump has not been accused or accused of wrongdoing.
Weiselberg and the Trump Organization on Tuesday asked a judge to drop the criminal charges against them, arguing that the charge was politically motivated. reports said.
Trump’s lawyers filed similar charges against James last week when they argued before a New York judge that Trump should not be forced to testify as part of the Attorney General’s investigation.
But the judge ruled that Trump, as well as Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, must comply with James’ subpoenas for their testimonysaying she “has a clear right” to seek their answers under oath after discovering “numerous pieces of evidence of possible financial fraud”.