In a dramatic turn of events, another senior prosecutor has exited the Eastern District of Virginia.
This latest dismissal follows the recent termination of Erik Siebert, who was the U.S. Attorney for the district until President Trump decided to relieve him of his duties. The parting was prompted by Siebert’s refusal to pursue charges against figures such as Letitia James, James Comey, and Adam Schiff.
Not long after Siebert’s ousting, Lindsey Halligan, now serving as the Acting U.S. Attorney, made headlines by indicting the former FBI Director James Comey.
Interestingly, the very night before this indictment, prosecutors within the same office couldn’t resist leaking a memorandum. This memo seemed to be a defensive move aimed at protecting Comey.
According to MSNBCâs Ken Dilanian, âTwo sources familiar with the matter tell me prosecutors in the EDVA US attorneyâs office presented newly sworn US attorney Lindsey Halligan with a memo explaining why charges should not be brought against James Comey, because there isnât enough evidence to establish probable cause a crime was committed, let alone enough to convince a jury to convict him.â
Two sources familiar with the matter tell me prosecutors in the EDVA US attorneyâs office presented newly sworn US attorney Lindsey Halligan with a memo explaining why charges should not be brought against James Comey, because there isnât enough evidence to establish probable…
— Ken Dilanian (@DilanianMSNBC) September 24, 2025
However, the pressure exerted by this memo and the accompanying leaks failed to thwart Halligan’s decision to indict Comey.
Following the indictment, there were ripples within the department, including the resignation of Comeyâs son-in-law from the Eastern District of Virginia. Rumors suggested that more DOJ resignations could follow.
And now, the axe has swung again.
Maya Song, a prominent prosecutor, was relieved of her duties shortly after Michael BenâAry, another high-ranking figure in national security, was also shown the door.
CBS News detailed the developments:
The Justice Department has fired two of the highest-level prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia, two sources familiar with the matter told CBS News, just days after President Trump ousted the U.S. Attorney there â and picked a replacement who charged former FBI Director James Comey.
The sources said Maya Song, a longtime high-ranking official in the office, was fired last week. Michael BenâAry, an accomplished and experienced national security prosecutor, was also terminated, the sources told CBS News.
The firings come amid turmoil in the U.S. Attorneyâs office in Alexandria, Virginia, days after the Justice Department filed criminal charges there against Comey. Mr. Trump removed his own appointee, Erik Siebert, from the post of U.S. Attorney, and installed White House aide Lindsey Halligan to be the new federal prosecutor in eastern Virginia. Halligan successfully secured a grand jury indictment of Comey days later. Staff at the U.S. Attorneyâs office had circulated a memo arguing the charges shouldnât be brought, CBS News has reported.
In a farewell letter to his colleagues, the recently dismissed Michael BenâAry expressed his discontent, urging his former peers to resist Trumpâs cadre of appointments.
âI am even more disappointed to see what has happened to this office and the Department of Justice in just a few short months. The decisions to remove experienced career officials from US Attorneys Offices, the FBI, and other critical parts of DOJ undermine our countryâs ability to counter terrorist organizations, malign nation-state actors, and countless others that seek to harm our nation and its citizens,â he lamented.
He concluded with a rallying cry: âWhile I am no longer your colleague, I ask that each of you continue to do the right thing, in the right way, for the right reasons. Follow the fact and the law. Stand up for what we all believe in â our Constitution and the rule of law. Our country depends on you.â
