Kurt Olsen Steps Down From DOJ Grand Conspiracy Case But Remains Employed

Kurt Olsen, a prominent election denier who previously sought to reverse the 2020 election results in favor of President Trump, has stepped away from his role in the Justice Department’s “grand conspiracy” investigation, a department official confirmed on Wednesday. Olsen announced his departure from the specific case in an email sent Monday to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

Initial confusion arose when officials in both Miami and Washington interpreted Olsen’s correspondence as a resignation from the federal government entirely. However, after news reports circulated, Olsen contacted DOJ officials to clarify that he intends to remain employed as an attorney. When pressed on the matter during an unrelated press conference, Attorney General Todd Blanche dismissed reports of Olsen’s exit, stating there was “an incredible amount of fake news” and affirming that Olsen is still employed in his previous capacity.

Despite retaining his job, the department official clarified that Olsen will no longer be assigned to the grand conspiracy matter. It remains uncertain what duties he will perform within the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, as a significant obstacle has emerged: Olsen’s security clearance is currently lacking.

Two sources familiar with the situation told CBS News that the clearance issue arose before Olsen submitted his email resigning from the case. Without access to classified information, Olsen cannot effectively participate in the grand conspiracy probe, which involves reviewing sensitive materials ranging from the intelligence assessment regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election to former special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into President Trump’s handling of classified documents.

Speculation is ongoing regarding Olsen’s potential next assignment. Sources indicate he has expressed interest in transferring to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina to work with Dan Bishop on election-related matters, though it is unclear if such a move will occur.

Olsen becomes the third prosecutor this year to leave the grand conspiracy case and a related inquiry into whether former CIA Director John Brennan provided misleading testimony to Congress regarding the agency’s role in the 2016 Russian interference assessment. In April, Maria Medetis Long, head of the national security section in the Southern District of Florida, was removed from the case after raising concerns about the strength of the evidence. She was succeeded by Joe diGenova, a former federal prosecutor who returned to the DOJ to lead the probe. DiGenova abruptly resigned in September following tensions with the Deputy Attorney General’s Office over case management.

Olsen joined the Southern District of Florida as senior counsel in the spring. According to the FBI, he previously served as the Presidential Director of Election Security and Integrity in the White House. In 2020, he worked as an attorney alongside Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, urging the Supreme Court to overturn the election results. Earlier this year, Olsen made a referral to the FBI regarding the Fulton County election case, which led to the seizure of dozens of boxes of ballots and other materials. He has also submitted additional 2020 election-related referrals to the Justice Department in states including Arizona.