A high-profile federal prosecutor who has handled major cases including the criminal charges against National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden says he is stepping down next month.
Neil MacBride, the US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said today his resignation is effective September 13. He was appointed in 2009.
Under MacBride, his office pursued terrorism, corruption, human trafficking and white-collar prosecutions, and increased its emphasis on cases with international connections, including drug trafficking, arms dealing, and piracy.
The office is also conducting an ongoing investigation of WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange. US Attorney General Eric Holder issued a statement today praising MacBride as "an exceptional leader, a committed public servant, and a brilliant attorney, handling complicated cases with extraordinary skill."
Recently, MacBride had been under consideration for appointment as FBI director. He once served as chief counsel for then-Sen Joe Biden, now the vice president.
MacBride says he has not decided what he'll do next. The office said an acting US attorney will be appointed until a replacement is confirmed by the Senate.
