Here’s a fully humanized, SEO-friendly version of your article with improved readability, active voice, and concise sentences:
Title (SEO-Friendly first line): J.P. Cooney, Former Trump Prosecutor, Announces Run for Congress in Virginia
Cooney Enters Virginia Congressional Race
J.P. Cooney, a former prosecutor in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office, announced he is running for Congress in Virginia’s proposed Seventh District.
“I don’t want my children, friends, or community to have any doubt about where I stand,” Cooney wrote on LinkedIn. He shared a New York Times article confirming his candidacy and said he is running as a Democrat.
Background as Special Counsel Prosecutor
Cooney served as a lead prosecutor on the federal cases against former President Donald Trump, including charges of obstruction of justice and conspiracy related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election and mishandling of classified documents.
Shortly after Trump began his second term, the Justice Department fired Cooney and other special counsel attorneys.
District Details and Political Lean
The new congressional district stretches from Arlington to rural areas of Virginia. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, it leans Democratic, with more than 58% of residents supporting Democrat Abigail Spanberger in last year’s elections. The district map awaits a ruling from the state Supreme Court after a lower judge blocked it from being presented to voters.
Trump Investigations and Controversy
Jack Smith testified last month that his team found “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Trump participated in a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election. Smith also led the classified documents case, later dismissed after a judge ruled his appointment unlawful.
Trump denies wrongdoing, pleaded not guilty in both cases, and continues to make false claims about 2020 election fraud. Recent FBI actions in Georgia have heightened Democratic concerns about potential election interference. Trump has repeatedly criticized Smith, calling him “a deranged animal.”
Cooney’s Career Highlights
Cooney’s LinkedIn profile notes his work taking on the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, and Peter Navarro in the aftermath of 2020 election falsehoods. He emphasizes bipartisanship as a core principle throughout his 18-year Justice Department career.
