Kurt Olsen, an attorney who challenged the 2020 election, has resigned from the Justice Department while assigned to the Southern District of Florida on the "grand conspiracy" probe. Olsen previously served in a White House election role and worked with Texas AG Ken Paxton in 2020. He was subpoenaed by the House Jan. 6 committee and referred the Fulton County matter that prompted an FBI search earlier this year. His departure follows other recent exits, though DOJ has hired two former prosecutors to the team.
Kurt Olsen Resigns From DOJ Amid Staffing Shake-Up In 'Grand Conspiracy' Probe
Election denier Kurt Olsen has resigned from DOJ, sources say
Kurt Olsen, an attorney known for efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential results in favor of Donald Trump, has resigned from the Justice Department, sources familiar with his departure told CBS News on Monday.
Role in Southern District of Florida Investigation
Olsen had been detailed to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, where he was working on the so-called "grand conspiracy" inquiry into officials from the Obama and Biden administrations — a probe that has not produced charges to date, sources said.
Background And Previous Work
The FBI has said Olsen previously served in a White House role described as the "Presidentially Appointed Director of Election Security and Integrity." In 2020 he worked with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other lawyers in efforts to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the election results.
Jan. 6 Subpoena And Referrals
In 2022, the House Jan. 6 select committee subpoenaed Olsen while investigating the events and aftermath of the 2020 election. The committee's subpoena alleged Olsen contacted several high-level Justice Department officials at the president's direction about filing challenges to state results and that he spoke multiple times with then-President Trump on Jan. 6, 2021, the committee reported.
Olsen also referred the Fulton County election matter to the FBI, a referral that led agents earlier this year to execute a search warrant and seize dozens of boxes of ballots and other materials tied to the 2020 election, according to an FBI affidavit. A source with direct knowledge told CBS News Olsen made several other 2020 election-related referrals to DOJ.
Departures And DOJ Staffing Changes
Olsen's resignation follows several recent departures from the investigative team. Prosecutor Joe diGenova also resigned earlier this month after being brought on by DOJ leadership; sources said tensions over case management and the pace of work contributed to that exit.
Other departures appear to reflect the end of temporary assignments for out-of-state attorneys, sources said. The Justice Department has since hired two former prosecutors to join the investigative team, according to a source. CBS News has asked Olsen and the Justice Department for comment.
Note: Sources say the grand conspiracy probe has not produced charges so far, and concerns have been raised by some law enforcement veterans about politicized staffing on politically sensitive inquiries.
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