The top federal prosecutor for the Northern District of Georgia abruptly resigned on Monday.
U.S. Attorney Byung “BJay” Pak previously signaled that he would stay in his position until Jan. 20, Inauguration Day, but that changed after a recording made public on Sunday revealed President Trump complaining of a “never-Trumper U.S. attorney there” during a phone conversation with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
Trump did not specify whether he was talking about Pak during the conversation that was largely focused on election fraud claims.
President Trump later tapped Bobby Christine, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, to replace Pak. Christine’s Department of Justice web page says that the lawyer was named acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia “by written order of the President.”
Trump nominated Christine for the southern Georgia role in 2017.
In an internal email reported by Talking Points Memo, Pak said “unforeseen circumstances” prompted his decision to resign early, although he did not elaborate.
A statement released publicly only expressed gratitude to Trump and others.
“It has been the greatest honor of my professional career to have been able to serve my fellow citizens as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia,” Pak said in the statement, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I have done my best to be thoughtful and consistent, and to provide justice for my fellow citizens in a fair, effective and efficient manner. I am grateful to President Trump and the United States Senate for the opportunity to serve, and to former Attorneys General (Jeff) Sessions and (William) Barr for their leadership of the department.”
Pak was nominated to the position by Trump and confirmed by the Senate in 2017. He previously served as a Republican Georgia state representative.
