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Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has fired two senior prosecutors who opposed her push to bring charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to ABC News.
Elizabeth Yusi, the chief criminal prosecutor in the office’s Norfolk division, and her deputy, Kristin Bird, were dismissed Friday. The terminations mark the latest shake-up in one of the nation’s most consequential U.S. Attorney’s offices, which oversees major national security and terrorism cases.
Sources said both firings were directly tied to the pair’s resistance to prosecuting James, whom the Trump administration has repeatedly targeted over her investigations into the former president’s businesses.
Halligan, appointed last month to lead the Virginia office, replaced a U.S. Attorney who had also been removed after refusing to pursue politically charged cases against Trump’s perceived adversaries — including James and former FBI Director James Comey.
Indictment Moved Forward Without Career Support
According to prior ABC News reporting, investigators in the Eastern District of Virginia found no evidence to justify charges against James. The referral originated from Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte, who alleged financial fraud related to mortgage-backed securities.
Despite the lack of support from career prosecutors, Halligan pressed ahead, and on Oct. 9, a grand jury indicted James on two counts of bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution.
James has denied any wrongdoing, describing the case as a “weaponization of the Justice Department” meant to punish Trump’s political opponents. She is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment next Friday.
Pattern of Political Firings
The dismissals of Yusi and Bird are the latest in a string of politically charged removals inside the Virginia office. Earlier this month, two other senior officials — including Michael Ben’Ary, the office’s top national security prosecutor — were also fired.
Current and former officials said privately that the firings have sapped morale and eroded confidence among career staff. Several prosecutors told colleagues they believe their ousters are politically motivated, according to people familiar with internal discussions.
The Eastern District of Virginia — known as the “Rocket Docket” for its speed in handling sensitive cases — has long been a pillar of the Justice Department’s work on espionage, terrorism, and corruption. Halligan’s moves, however, have drawn growing alarm within the department about political interference in prosecutorial decisions.
