Brown resigns from US Attorney's office to not be "a distraction"

by: Jason Springer

Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 05:56:51 PM EDT

In her resignation letter dated today, Michele Brown, the acting first assistant U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, said it has been an "honor and privilege" to serve, but she does not want to be "a distraction" for the office.

"I am extraordinarily proud of all the work we have done and all the good we have accomplished on behalf of the people of this state," Brown wrote. "I also know how important it is that we continue to pursue our mission, and I do not want to become a distraction from the critically important work we do."

New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie said he won't ask a federal prosecutor to sever the mortgage loan he made to her if he is elected governor.

Christie said it would be up to Michele Brown whether to repay the $46,000 loan early.

"Michele Brown's resignation today does nothing to put to rest questions about Christie's conduct both in and outside of the U.S. Attorney's office. Whether it was illegally laying the groundwork for his gubernatorial campaign from the U.S. Attorney's office with the help of Karl Rove, maintaining a secret financial relationship with the number two at the U.S. Attorney's office during his campaign, or rewarding political cronies with millions of dollars in no-bid contracts, Christie still must answer to serious legal and ethical questions. He can start by demanding the immediate release of public documents from his tenure as U.S. Attorney as requested by the Corzine campaign."