CIA Director Probe Sees Lead Prosecutor Stepping Down Amid Doubts

CIA director John Brennan is at the center of a federal investigation, but the lead prosecutor on the case has stepped down after reportedly voicing doubts about the probe. Maria Medetis Long, the chief of the national security division in the US attorney's office for the southern district of Florida, has informed attorneys involved that she is no longer handling the investigation into Brennan, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Medetis Long's departure from the case comes after she allegedly expressed reservations about the direction of the investigation, which was looking into Brennan's role during the 2016 US presidential election when his agency concluded that Russia had interfered to boost then-candidate Donald Trump. The CNN report that first broke the news does not provide details on the specific nature of Medetis Long's concerns.

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The Department of Justice has not yet responded to requests for comment on Medetis Long's departure from the Brennan investigation. The probe, which was launched under the Trump administration, has been viewed by some as a politically-motivated attempt to undermine the findings of the intelligence community regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Brennan, who served as CIA director under President Barack Obama, has been a vocal critic of Trump and has accused the former president of being soft on Russia. The investigation into Brennan's actions during the 2016 election cycle has raised concerns among some observers about the potential for political influence over law enforcement matters.

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The development comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over the Justice Department's handling of high-profile investigations, particularly those with potential political ramifications. The departure of the lead prosecutor raises questions about the future direction and credibility of the probe into the former CIA chief, who has maintained that his agency's assessment of Russian election interference was accurate and appropriate.

As the investigation continues, the implications of Medetis Long's exit will likely be closely watched by both supporters and critics of the probe, as they seek to understand the underlying dynamics and potential motivations behind this unexpected development.