Denise Cheung, head of the criminal division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, resigned on February 18, 2025, following directives from Trump administration officials to initiate a criminal investigation into a $20 billion climate-related contract awarded during President Joe Biden’s tenure. Cheung, a 24-year veteran of the Department of Justice, cited insufficient evidence to support such an investigation and expressed concerns over potential political motivations behind the directive.
The contract in question involves multibillion-dollar green banking programs established by the Biden-era Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assist low-income and minority communities in investing in clean energy. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin had accused the program of fraud and sought to reclaim its funds, despite a lack of substantiating evidence.
In her resignation letter to interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin, Cheung detailed her refusal to issue grand jury subpoenas or freeze bank accounts related to the contract, emphasizing the absence of probable cause. She stated, “I still do not believe that there is sufficient evidence to issue the letter you described.”
Cheung’s departure has prompted four Democratic senators—Edward Markey, Sheldon Whitehouse, Chris Van Hollen, and Bernie Sanders—to call for an investigation by the Justice Department’s Inspector General. They contend that the pressure exerted on Cheung represents a gross abuse of prosecutorial authority and raises serious questions about the politicization of the Justice Department under President Donald Trump.
This incident adds to a series of resignations by career DOJ prosecutors protesting perceived political interference. Recently, seven DOJ prosecutors resigned after being ordered to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, further highlighting internal tensions within the department.
