Miami federal prosecutor steps down as grand jury probe stalls
Jason Reding Quiñones resigned Friday, joining a wave of Justice Department exits that follows the midterm elections and complicates the department's review of former Trump critics.
By Michael Bennett ·
Forty percent of the civil attorneys in the Southern District of Florida left their posts in 2025, a figure that underscores the staffing crisis now facing the federal government's most high-profile investigation.
Jason Reding Quiñones, the U.S. attorney for the district, confirmed his resignation on Friday. He stepped down from the role that placed him in charge of the so-called grand conspiracy probe into former law enforcement and intelligence officials. His departure aligns with a pattern of high-level departures from the Justice Department following the recent midterm elections.
The resignation was not unexpected among Washington insiders. People familiar with the matter described growing frustration over Quiñones' management of the office. They noted that the investigation, which centered on whether opponents of President Donald Trump conspired against him, had shown signs of faltering. Delays and staff turnover marked the period of his tenure.
The staffing losses extended beyond the civil division. During a hearing in July, a federal judge questioned the office's handling of immigration cases. Matthew Feely, the Civil Division Chief, apologized to the judge for the high volume of departures. He told the court that the office was struggling to maintain its legal teams.
Quiñones had been confirmed by the Senate last year to lead the Southern District of Florida. Before that, he served as a Miami-Dade County Judge, a position to which Governor Ron DeSantis appointed him in 2024. He also previously worked as a federal prosecutor in Miami. His office gained national attention in May when it indicted Raúl Castro, the former Cuban president. The charges related to the 1996 downing of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles.
The probe Quiñones oversaw has faced repeated obstacles. In April, a lead national security prosecutor on the case involving former CIA Director John Brennan was replaced after raising questions about the strength of the evidence. Joseph diGenova, a former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, subsequently took over the investigation. He resigned from the Justice Department in September without filing any criminal charges.
Quiñones was not the only senior official to leave on Friday. John Eisenberg, the top national security official at the Justice Department, also resigned. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Eisenberg's departure alongside news of Quiñones' exit. Blanche praised Eisenberg for his work on cases involving espionage, terrorism, and cyber crimes. One of the most high-profile prosecutions under Eisenberg was that of former national security adviser John Bolton, who pleaded guilty this year to mishandling classified information.
The exodus of leaders followed the Thursday departure of Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general who led a major restructuring of the Civil Rights Division. Blanche stated in a social media post that the department valued Quiñones' leadership in combating violent crime and transnational offenses. Quiñones said in a post that he is leaving with immense pride in what his team accomplished and profound gratitude for the opportunity to serve.
