As we’re reporting on the Federal Times Web site, Special Counsel Scott Bloch announced his resignation — he’s leaving office on Jan. 5, the scheduled end of his five-year term. He made the announcement in a letter to the president (pdf) earlier today.
Bloch had the option to stay for one more year (or until the Senate confirms the next special counsel, whichever comes first), but he declined to stick around.
Bloch’s announcement is true to his word from an interview two months ago, when I asked Bloch about the increasingly vocal calls for his resignation:
But when asked about the criticism, Bloch rejected the idea that his office has a morale problem; he said he has every intention of finishing his five-year term, which ends in January.
“I’ve had those calls since I came in,” Bloch said. “But I’ve done my job. I’ve almost filled out my term, and I’ll go when I want to go.”
A spokesman for Bloch’s office said there was no particular reason why he was leaving on Jan. 5. “It’s pretty self-explanatory,” he said.
