Denise Cheung, the top criminal prosecutor at the Washington, DC, US Attorney’s Office, resigned on Tuesday after refusing to open a grand jury investigation into an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding decision during the Biden administration.

She believed there was insufficient evidence to proceed and sought to protect lower-level prosecutors from the task.

Cheung’s resignation follows ongoing tensions between long-time DOJ employees and Trump-appointed officials, particularly regarding ethical conflicts, CNN has reported.

Her departure comes amid broader changes at the DOJ, including efforts to revisit January 6-related charges.

Written by B.C. Begley