Outgoing Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand said Thursday that she would have been "very happy to stay" at the Department of Justice (DOJ) but was offered an opportunity in the private sector she couldn't pass up.

Brand is stepping down from the No. 3 post at DOJ after nine months on the job to become Walmart's executive vice president of global governance and corporate secretary.

"Sometimes, something comes up unexpectedly and you just can’t pass it up," Brand told members of the Federalist Society at a luncheon in Washington, according to The National Law Journal. "That’s all there is to it."

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Brand's comments appeared to dismiss reports that she had decided to leave the DOJ amid concerns that she would be asked to oversee the criminal investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

That probe, which is being conducted by special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE, is currently overseen by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Rod RosensteinDOJ kept investigators from completing probe of Trump ties to Russia: report Five takeaways from final Senate Intel Russia report FBI officials hid copies of Russia probe documents fearing Trump interference: book MORE. He took over the investigation after Attorney General Jeff Sessions Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsTrump's policies on refugees are as simple as ABCs Ocasio-Cortez, Velázquez call for convention to decide Puerto Rico status White House officials voted by show of hands on 2018 family separations: report MORE recused himself from the matter last year.

As the No. 3 official at the department, Brand would be next in line to take over the probe if Rosenstein were to be relieved of the responsibility.

President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE has repeatedly criticized Rosenstein's handling of the probe, particularly his decision to appoint a special counsel, prompting speculation that the president could move to fire the deputy attorney general.

The White House has sought to quell rumors that Trump is considering ousting Rosenstein.