Trump Abruptly Orders 46 Obama-Era Prosecutors to Resign

[PsychoBabble]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by NancyBlueINOklahoma (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Friday moved to sweep away the remaining vestiges of Obama administration prosecutors at the Justice Department, ordering 46 holdover United States attorneys to tender their resignations immediately — including Preet Bharara, the United States attorney in Manhattan.

The firings were a surprise — especially for Mr. Bharara, who has a reputation for prosecuting public corruption cases. In November, Mr. Bharara met with then President-elect Donald J. Trump at Trump Tower and told reporters afterward that Mr. Trump had asked him about staying on, which the prosecutor said he expected to do.

But on Friday, Mr. Bharara was among federal prosecutors who received a call from Dana Boente, the acting deputy attorney general, instructing him to resign, according to a person familiar with the matter. A spokesman for Mr. Bharara declined to comment.

Sarah Isgur Flores, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said in an email that all remaining holdover United States attorneys had been asked to resign, leaving their deputy United States attorneys, who are career officials, in place in an acting capacity.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/10/us/politics/us-attorney-justice-department-trump.html

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... and so it begins ....

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Like I have said, America actually is gone. It really is, Putin and Bannon

are running things now and most of us are NOT in the plan.

[Turbineguy]

2. That way they can work in private practice.

He no longer has any control over them. Trump really ought to read some Machiavelli. Luckily, he doesn't.

[March 4th]

3. Is that even legal?

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Yes - they are all appointees.

However this is the time they are supposed to do it (during transition) - NOT mid-term like Gonzo did under Shrub.

[enough]

5. As the article states, Bill Clinton did the same thing.

Except he fired 93 of them in one day. Read your link.

With so many outrages to deal with, we don't have to manufacture them.

[madville]

6. Common practice in the last few decades actually

Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Obama, and now Trump have done this in some form or fashion shortly after their inauguration.

[OliverQ]

7. Not all at the same time with no replacement

All their cases will be abandoned. We know Trump isn't going to bother hiring more US Attorneys, so it will just mean a huge problem for criminal justice.

[madville]

8. Why wouldn't they be replaced?

I'm sure they will be replaced with hacks that I expect the next Democratic President to promptly fire right after they are sworn in, like Bill Clinton did when he fired all 93 US Attorneys on the same day.

[Trenzalore]

9. I'm pretty sure they have a long list of conservative lawyers

I don't expect any of these vacancies to remain open that long.

This is a rather routine practice with any new administration. It's concerning Trump is in the position to name them, but Hillary might have actually asked for a smaller list of resignations to assign her own people.

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. The problem being Trump will put in "loyal" before "capable"

and there will be zero prosecution of any of Trump's friends.

[djg21]

14. This is incorrect.

Ongoing cases are not abandoned. There will be replacements, and some US As may be asked to remain. Asking for resignations is par for the course during a transition.

[onenote]

17. In March 1993, Janet Reno fired 93 Bush appointed US attorneys

This isn't all that different.

[DURHAM D]

11. I am sure they will all be replaced with Liberty University grads. nt

[cstanleytech]

12. Didn't President Obama do a similar thing and didn't one of the people he dismissed try

to fight back but was still ultimately removed?

[DK504]

13. " ... especially for Mr. Bharara, who has a reputation for prosecuting public corruption cases."

As a great AG he really should have been expecting this. As a faithful civil servant executing the law towards those who would break it, none of them are safe any longer. This purge makes my stomach drop.

Maybe the anti-Semites that have been chanting to deport Jews will be thrilled so nothing will ever happen to them and their fascist friends have carte blanche.

[JudyM]

15. Cuomo may take advantage of the opportunity to expand the state AG ranks, under Eric Schneiderman

[olddad56]

16. well, the ACLU and the SPLC are always looking for a few good attorneys.

[OKNancy]

18. Locking - duplicate topic

previous thread on same subject here: http://upload.democraticunderground.com/10141725460

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