White House officials have urged Atlanta’s top federal prosecutor to step down before Georgia’s U.S. Senate expires because President Trump was angry that he wasn’t doing enough to investigate the president’s unproven allegations of electoral fraud, people said who were familiar with the matter.
A senior Justice Department official called US attorney Byung J. Pak on behalf of the White House and told him he had to step down because he did not pursue allegations of voting fraud to Mr. Trump’s satisfaction. said.
Mr Pak abruptly resigned Monday – the day before the layoffs – and said in an early morning email to his colleagues that his departure was due to “unforeseen circumstances”.
The pressure on Mr. Pak was part of a week’s pressure by Mr. Trump to try to change the results of the presidential election in favor of President-elect Joe Biden, including his victory in Georgia. Trump said this week, after the riot in the US Capitol, he would leave office on Jan. 20 when Mr. Biden is inaugurated.
The recently departed Attorney General William Barr has said the Justice Department found no evidence of widespread voter fraud that could reverse Mr Biden’s victory, including allegations of fraud, ballot box destruction and voting machine manipulation.