New York Lawyers Prosecuting Trump Resign, Throwing Future of Case in Doubt

Two New York prosecutors who were heading up the Manhattan district attorney's probe of former President Donald Trump and his business practices have resigned, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

The abrupt resignations of prosecutors Carey R. Dunne and Mark F. Pomerantz cast doubt on the fate of the contentious investigation. The development came after Alvin Bragg, the new Manhattan district attorney, indicated that he wasn't fully confident in moving forward with the case against Trump, according to the sources.

The probe is seeking to determine whether Trump inflated the value of his assets in order to get better loan terms from banks, the Times reported. While the former president has so far avoided charges related to the investigation from the DA's office, the Trump Organization and its former chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, have been indicted on 15 felony counts, Insider reported.

Pomerantz confirmed his resignation to the Times but did not provide more details. Dunne declined to comment.

Bragg was sworn in as Manhattan district attorney at the beginning of the year. Before he assumed the position, he told CNN in an interview that he thought it would be "a disservice to Manhattan" to lose the two prosecutors

Dunne successfully argued before the Supreme Court to get Trump's taxes, and Pomerantz, a highly-regarded lawyer, had been recruited by the former district attorney to help guide the Trump investigation, CNN reported.

"Carey and Mark have been doing this a long time," Bragg said to CNN. "I want to hear what they're thinking. I'll bring my experience to bear. I may add other people to the team."

Bragg's spokesperson, Danielle Filson, said after the news of the resignations emerged that Bragg's office is "grateful for their service" but did not comment further, the Associated Press reported.

The fate of the investigation was starting to look uncertain even before Dunne and Pomerantz resigned. The investigators' presentation of evidence before the grand jury convened for the probe has been paused for about a month, the Times reported.

One of the unnamed sources who spoke to the Times said that with Bragg expressing doubt about moving forward with the case against Trump, the prosecutors halted a plan late last month to question at least one witness before the grand jury.

Now, they have not questioned any witnesses before the grand jury for more than a month, according to the Times.

Newsweek has reached out to Bragg's office and the Trump Organization for comment.

Update 02/23/22, 4:10 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.