The Department of Justice is reportedly facing internal turmoil after two prosecutors from the Southern District of Florida abruptly resigned amid an expanding investigation into the origins of the 2016 Trump-Russia probe.
The resignations have sparked what insiders are describing as panic and uncertainty within one of the DOJ’s most prominent offices.
According to multiple reports, U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones, appointed by President Donald Trump, convened an emergency meeting Monday afternoon to address the situation.
The meeting included members of the district’s major crimes division, which consists of more than two dozen career prosecutors.
Sources familiar with the meeting described the atmosphere as tense, with staff members uncertain about possible reassignments related to the sensitive investigation.
A source within the office told MSNBC that “everyone is on pins and needles,” as the Southern District braces for further developments.
The probe reportedly focuses on former intelligence and law enforcement officials connected to the 2016 Trump-Russia investigation, including former CIA Director John Brennan, former FBI agent Peter Strzok, and former FBI lawyer Lisa Page.
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Sources confirmed that the Justice Department authorized more than 30 subpoenas last Friday as part of the effort.
In an unusual procedural move, some of those subpoenas were reportedly signed by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Manolo Reboso, the district’s third-highest-ranking official.
Reboso’s involvement has drawn attention because his role is typically administrative, overseeing operations, staffing, and liaison functions with Washington rather than direct investigative work.
MSNBC reported that the office appeared to deviate from normal procedures by having a senior official approve subpoenas typically handled by line prosecutors.
Several legal analysts said the decision to bypass the usual channels suggested an effort to maintain tight control over the direction of the investigation.
One prosecutor who resigned last week reportedly told colleagues they could not continue participating because it “would violate their ethical responsibilities.”
Bloomberg Law later reported that at least one of the two prosecutors stepped down for similar reasons. Both departures came as the subpoenas began to move forward under Reboso’s supervision.
UPDATE: Two DOJ line prosecutors have resigned under duress shortly after being asked to join this grand jury team. Both were accused by Miami superiors of leaking about the secretive assignment, and bow out after short, promising careers as prosecutors. https://t.co/AWR4HxPSPs
— Ben Penn (@benjaminpenn) November 7, 2025
The subpoenas seek documents, emails, and communications related to the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The timeframe listed spans from July 1, 2016, through February 28, 2017 — a period that includes the closing months of the presidential campaign and President Trump’s first weeks in office.
Many of the records being sought are classified and held by federal intelligence agencies, which could complicate compliance and may require coordination among multiple departments, including the CIA, FBI, and Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Former officials named in the subpoenas have already been the focus of previous investigations. John Durham’s special counsel probe and Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s review both examined the handling of the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
While those earlier inquiries did not result in criminal charges against Brennan, Strzok, or Page, the new subpoenas suggest that prosecutors in Florida are re-examining whether any misconduct or misrepresentation occurred during that period.
The Southern District of Florida’s decision to pursue this case signals renewed attention from the Justice Department toward unresolved questions surrounding the Trump-Russia narrative.
The investigation’s scope and leadership involvement indicate that it may go beyond prior internal reviews, potentially testing the boundaries of how far the DOJ is willing to revisit politically charged matters from the 2016 election.
With more than 30 subpoenas reportedly approved and key prosecutors departing, the probe appears poised to become one of the most closely watched internal Justice Department efforts since the original Russia investigation nearly a decade ago.
