In a move that’s raising eyebrows across the political spectrum, Mary "Maggie" Cleary has been named the acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, stepping into a role fraught with tension and high-stakes investigations.
According to Newsmax, Cleary’s appointment follows the resignation of Erik Siebert last Friday, amid intense pressure from Trump administration officials to pursue criminal charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James over alleged mortgage fraud discrepancies involving properties in Brooklyn and Virginia.
This isn’t just a routine staffing change; it’s a flashpoint in a broader clash between conservative priorities and what many see as politically motivated probes by progressive figures.
Cleary, who announced her new role to staff via email on Saturday, brings a resume packed with conservative credentials, including stints as a prosecutor in Culpeper and as deputy secretary of public safety under Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
“While this appointment was unexpected, I am humbled to be joining your ranks,” Cleary wrote to employees, striking a tone of modesty amid a storm of controversy.
Yet, let’s not pretend this is a cozy welcome—her new office is knee-deep in an investigation into James that reeks of payback for her aggressive legal battles against conservative interests, at least according to her legal team’s sharp denials.
Before this appointment, Cleary faced her own brush with political targeting, having been falsely accused of being at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot while serving as a federal prosecutor in Virginia’s Western District.
Placed on administrative leave and grilled by agents, she was eventually cleared, but the experience left a mark on a career otherwise defined by steady service in roles like her time in Attorney General Jason Miyares’ office.
It’s hard not to see the irony: a woman once wrongly accused of political misdeeds now helms an office tasked with a case critics call a witch hunt against James.
Siebert’s resignation wasn’t just a quiet exit; it came under fire from Trump administration officials pushing for charges in the James probe, which has lingered for months without a formal indictment.
Trump himself didn’t mince words on social media, declaring, “He didn't quit, I fired him!”—a stark reminder of the no-nonsense approach driving this administration’s justice agenda. While some may cheer this as decisive leadership, others might wonder if such public crowing risks tainting the impartiality of federal investigations.
The probe into Letitia James centers on alleged paperwork issues tied to her homes, a case that her lawyers have dismissed as nothing more than political revenge dressed up as legal scrutiny.
Given Cleary’s own history of being unfairly targeted, one might hope she’ll approach this investigation with a keen eye for fairness, rather than succumbing to pressures that could turn the Justice Department into a tool for settling scores.
As this story unfolds, it’s clear that Cleary’s tenure will be a litmus test for whether conservative values can restore trust in a system many feel has been weaponized by a progressive agenda—or whether it will simply flip the script on who wields the power.
