Kurt Olsen Steps Off DOJ's Florida "Grand Conspiracy" Case but Stays on DOJ Payroll; Blanche Says He "Has Not Resigned"

CBS News reported on Wednesday that Kurt Olsen, who attempted to overturn the 2020 election results and joined the Southern District of Florida as senior counsel in the spring, is leaving the “grand conspiracy” investigation. Olsen announced his intention to depart from the case in an email on Monday to the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida. DOJ officials in Miami and Washington initially read the email as a departure from the government. Asked at a press conference, Attorney General Todd Blanche said “Kurt Olsen has not resigned.” A department official later clarified that Olsen “will not be assigned to the grand conspiracy matter” while remaining on staff.

CBS also reported that, before the email, a problem arose with his security clearance, according to sources with knowledge of the matter. It counted him as the third prosecutor this year to step down from the case and the related Brennan probe, after Maria Medetis Long, who was removed from the case in April after she raised concerns about the strength of the evidence, and Joe diGenova, who abruptly resigned in September amid tensions with the Deputy Attorney General’s Office over the management of the case.

Context: 2026-09-10–digenova-resigns-grand-conspiracy-probe-no-indictments-says-evidence-takes-time and 2026-04-20–digenova-appointed-brennan-probe-medetis-long-removed.