U.S. Attorney for RI Zachary Cunha resigns

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Department of Justice announced Zachary Cunha stepped down from his position as United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island on Monday.

On Feb. 7, Cunha presented a letter of resignation to President Trump and the Attorney General, which showed he would leave his position at the end of this week.

According to the DOJ, the White House notified Cunha that the President directed him to step down from his position “immediately.”

Cunha began his position as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island on Dec. 13, 2021, after being nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate.

U.S. Attorney Cunha said in a statement in part:

“I am deeply grateful to Senators Reed and Whitehouse for recommending my nomination to the White House, and to President Biden for his trust and confidence in appointing me to serve this extraordinary District and its citizens as United States Attorney.  I have worked hard every day to live up to the example of excellence set by my thirty-eight distinguished predecessors over the 235-year history of this Office, and it has been the honor of my career to do this job.             

Over the three years that I have had the high privilege to serve as U.S. Attorney, it has been my constant goal to make sure that the work of this District punched far above the weight that our compact geography and small staff might imply.  By every measure, the men and women of this Office have met that goal, again and again, across every category in which we prosecute and litigate on behalf of the people of the Ocean State.”

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said in a statement:

“Mr. Cunha served Rhode Islanders honorably, and I am grateful for his principled dedication to the law.”