John Durham, Who Heads Up Probe of Trump-Russia Inquiry, Resigns as Connecticut's US Attorney

John Durham, the U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut and special counsel tasked with probing the inquiry into the Trump campaign’s possible links to Moscow, said Friday he's resigning from the post after some three years.

But his inquiry into the Russia inquiry will continue, the Connecticut Post reported. That inquiry, over which he presides as special counsel, is looking at whether officials within the Obama administration broke the law through their probe into alleged interference on Trump's behalf in the 2016 election.

Durham's resignation is no surprise. Indeed, some weeks ago the Biden administration asked holdover U.S. attorneys appointed during the previous administration to resign.

But the U.S. Department of Justice is expected to have Durham continue in his special counsel capacity.

As the Post reported, then-Attorney General Bill Barr designated Durham as a special counsel in December. As his work continued, questions about the Russia inquiry have lingered and hovered over the transition to the Biden administration.

So far, the probe of the probe has led to charges for one person involved in Russia investigation. Former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith was sentenced to one year of probation after he was accused of altering an email used as evidence for what's known as a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant.

Durham’s resignation goes into effect at midnight Sunday, the Post said. It quoted a statement from Durham, in which he said: "My career has been as fulfilling as I could ever have imagined when I graduated from law school way back in 1975/ Much of that fulfillment has come from all the people with whom I’ve been blessed to share this workplace, and in our partner law enforcement agencies. My love and respect for this Office and the vitally important work done here have never diminished.

"It has been a tremendous honor to serve as U.S. Attorney, and as a career prosecutor before that, and I will sorely miss it.”

Durham’s career with the federal government spans more than 40 years.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard C Boyle will take Durham’s seat as acting U.S. attorney.