Democracy Dies in Darkness

Top Virginia federal prosecutor to depart as Trump takes office

U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber, a Democratic appointee who has led a high-profile office, says she tried to rebuild public trust in law enforcement.

8 min
Jessica D. Aber, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, speaks during a news conference at the Justice Department on Dec. 6, 2023, along with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, left, and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

Jessica D. Aber said she will resign as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia upon President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, capping a term leading a high-profile office that was shaped by prosecutions of terrorism cases, violent gang crimes and leaks of classified documents.

Aber, a white-collar crime prosecutor nominated by President Joe Biden in 2021, became the third Senate-confirmed woman to lead the U.S. attorney’s office in Alexandria, known for its headline-grabbing national security cases. In an interview, she said she tried to restore public trust in the criminal justice system as she managed roughly 300 lawyers and staff in Northern Virginia, Norfolk, Richmond and the Hampton Roads region, a jurisdiction that houses many of the nation’s intelligence and defense agencies.

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