Conservative Appointment: Cleary to Lead High-Profile Investigations

Mary 'Maggie' Cleary, a once outspoken conservative critic against perceived political targeting by the Biden administration, has been unexpectedly appointed as the acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Her new role comes after Erik Siebert, the previous top prosecutor, resigned following pressure from former President Donald Trump.

Trump's dissatisfaction stemmed from Siebert's hesitance to pursue criminal mortgage fraud charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, a long-standing political rival. Siebert had expressed doubts about the adequacy of evidence to move forward with charges as part of ongoing probes.

Cleary, whose background includes serving as a deputy commonwealth attorney and a prior stint as an assistant U.S. attorney, has faced her own accusations, being incorrectly identified as a participant in the January 6 Capitol incident. Cleary maintained her innocence and expressed feeling targeted for her political beliefs.