Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Submits Formal Resignation

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed a special counsel to investigate Russian election interference, submitted his formal resignation Monday to President Trump, which will take effect May 11.

“I am grateful to you for the opportunity to serve; for the courtesy and humor you often display in our personal conversations; and for the goals you set in your inaugural address: patriotism, unity, safety, education and prosperity,” Mr. Rosenstein wrote in the letter.

Throughout his letter, Rosenstein noted the Justice Department’s efforts in fulfilling the Trump administration’s agenda. Specifically, he noted: fighting violent crime, battling the nation’s opioid crisis, strengthening immigration enforcement, and putting support towards local law enforcement.

“Productivity rose, and crime fell,” Rosenstein stated.

Rosenstein’s resignation letter made no mention of the special counsel, but instead focused on the Justice Department’s efforts to avoid partisanship.

Rosenstein wrote:

Political considerations may influence policy choices, but neutral principals must drive decisions about individual cases. We enforce the law without fear or favor because credible evidence is not partisan, and truth is not determined by opinion polls. We ignore fleeting distractions and focus our attention on the things that matter, because a republic that endures is not governed by the news cycle.

Rosenstein also noted that America’s “elections are more secure and our citizens are better informed” after the special counsel’s appointment.

“Our nation is safer, our elections are more secure and our citizens are better informed about covert foreign efforts and schemes to commit fraud, steal intellectual property, and launch cyberattacks,” Rosenstein added. “We also pursued illegal leaks, investigated credible allegations of employee misconduct and accommodated congressional oversight without compromising law enforcement interests.”