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U.S. Attorney in Atlanta Leaves Post Weeks Early

B.J. Pak’s resignation letter only cited “unforeseen circumstances” as the reason for his departure on Monday, the day after audio of Trump’s call leaked.

The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, which includes the state capital of Atlanta, will be leaving his post on Monday. Byung “B.J.” Pak, a former Republican state legislator, was originally set to leave his post on Jan. 20, at the end of Trump’s administration. As first reported by Talking Points Memo, Pak’s resignation letter only cited “unforeseen circumstances” as his reason for departure.

While it is common for U.S. attorneys to depart their posts early in the lead-up to a new administration, Pak’s departure comes at a fraught time in his jurisdiction. On Sunday, The Washington Post released audio of a Saturday phone call where President Trump attempted to persuade Georgia’s top elections official, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, to “find” the votes to win him the state. Trump has called for Raffensperger to be prosecuted for recording the call, despite it being legal to record phone calls without both parties’ consent in Georgia and Washington, D.C.