Barr Abruptly Seeks to Oust U.S. Attorney Who Investigated Trump Associates

[Eugene]

Last edited Sat Jun 20, 2020, 12:01 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: New York Times

But the United States attorney in Manhattan, Geoffrey Berman, who had been leading the inquiry into Rudolph W. Giuliani, is refusing to leave his position.

By Benjamin Weiser, William K. Rashbaum, Nicole Hong, Maggie Haberman and Katie Benner
June 19, 2020

Attorney General William P. Barr on Friday night abruptly tried to oust the United States attorney in Manhattan, Geoffrey S. Berman, the powerful federal prosecutor whose office sent President Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, to prison and who has been investigating Mr. Trump’s current personal lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani.

But Mr. Berman said in a statement that he was refusing to leave his position, setting up a crisis within the Justice Department over one of its most prestigious jobs.

“I have not resigned, and have no intention of resigning, my position,” Mr. Berman said, adding that he learned that he was “stepping down” in a press release from the Justice Department.

-snip-


Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/19/nyregion/us-attorney-manhattan-trump.html

---

EDIT: article updated at link

Previous headlines at link:

• U.S. Attorney Who Investigated Trump Associates Is Abruptly Replaced
• Justice Dept. Seeks to Oust U.S. Attorney Who Investigated Trump Associates

[soothsayer]

1. There's no one to stop them

I’m beyond floored.

[cstanleytech]

9. All its doing is delaying it though and even pardons have their downsides should Trump use them

especially as far as protecting Trump because once the pardon is granted the person pardoned can be forced to testify and they cannot use the 5th amendment as a shield.
If they refuse and or lie then that is new charges plus they could potentially be charged for the crime they lied about if they were involved in committing one.

[TomCADem]

17. How Can Trump Fire Berman If He Was Appointed By the Court?

Berman was appointed because Trump tried to leave the position vacant.

Link to tweet

[FarPoint]

24. I think we must scream from the rooftops...

that the GOP/ Republican Senate has been a key enabler of this crime family Administration....They are not confronted regarding their star role in destroying Democracy...Protest their offices...

[jrthin]

2. I hope we have a plan B. nt

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

22. Plan B: Biden.

I doubt Trump will be investigated under a Biden administration, but maybe his spawn, and Kushner, deserve a look in the Southern District and Eastern District of NY.

[jrthin]

28. I'll definitely take THAT plan B.

[Ahpook]

3. More of the same

Fire and cover their wicked asses.

Who the fuck can still support these lying pieces of filth?

[Eugene]

4. U.S. attorney for Southern District of New York steps down

Source: Axios

20 mins ago - Politics & Policy

U.S. attorney for Southern District of New York steps down

Orion Rummler

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman is stepping down, Attorney General Bill Barr announced Friday night.

Why it matters: Berman oversaw one of the highest profile districts in the country and many politically charged prosecutions, including those over President Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen and investigations into hush money payments during the 2016 election.

What's next: Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton has been nominated to replace Berman. Craig Carpenito, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, will serve in Berman's role starting July 3 as the Senate considers Clayton's nomination.

What they're saying: “For the past three years, Jay has been an extraordinarily successful SEC Chairman, overseeing efforts to modernize regulation of the capital markets, protect Main Street investors, enhance American competitiveness, and address challenges ranging from cybersecurity issues to the COVID-19 pandemic," Barr said in Friday's announcement.

https://www.axios.com/justice-department-southern-district-new-york-b79b00e3-368a-41a0-9986-41ef20e1c1f6.html

[IcyPeas]

5. Deutsche Bank

Link to tweet

?s=19

Jay Clayton, Trump's new pick, counted Deutsche Bank as a client and defended them in the massive Russian money laundering scandal.

There is a criminal investigation into Deutsche Bank occurring in SDNY.

Deutsche Bank is Trump's lender.

[Adelante]

6. Yuge nt

[riversedge]

7. Preet Bharara, "Doesn't sound like 'stepping down.'"

He got to close to Rudy

Link to tweet

?s=20



Experts shocked by ‘insane’ Friday night announcement US Attorney is ‘stepping down’: SDNY ‘has been breached’


https://www.rawstory.com/2020/06/experts-shocked-by-insane-friday-night-announcement-us-attorney-is-stepping-down-sdny-has-been-breached/

Published 1 min ago

on June 19, 2020

By Bob Brigham

Legal experts were shocked when the Trump administration announced on Friday night that the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York would be replaced.

Preet Bharara, who preceded Geoffrey Berman in leading the SDNY, wrote on Twitter, “Doesn’t sound like ‘stepping down.'”

“Why does a president get rid of his own hand-picked US Attorney in SDNY on a Friday night, less than 5 months before the election?” Bharara asked.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mimi Rocah, who is a veteran of the office, agreed.
Defend democracy. Click to invest in courageous progressive journalism today.

“If Berman were truly ‘stepping down’ he would wait until his replacement was confirmed or – as usually happens – his Deputy U.S. Attorney would be the Acting U.S. Attorney,” she noted. “Why is the NJ US Attorney taking over SDNY!?”...................................

[dalton99a]

12. +1

[Mr.Bill]

8. Biden needs to have DOJ people in place to march all these

Trump appointees out of their offices the moment he is sworn in.

[cstanleytech]

11. That and have all the files and computers locked down for forensic examination.

[scarletwoman]

10. I hate to say it, but shit's getting scarier and scarier...

I don't want to live out my days under a fascist dictatorship.

[Karma13612]

16. I know. We need to just hold on

and vote and do everything we can to assure a 3-way victory.

[iluvtennis]

13. Fkn criminal thugs. Hurry up Nov 2020. nt

[iluvtennis]

14. trump told Turkey's Erdogan that he was ready to fire SDNY leadership to kill investigations

Laura Rozen@lrozen·1h
Reports on the Bolton book reveal that Trump told Turkey’s President Erdogan that he was ready to fire SDNY leadership to kill investigations that Erdogan asked him to

Link to tweet

[Kid Berwyn]

26. Seems like a reasonable request...

...for one seeking to curry favor with despots and to avoid criminal prosecution.

Wow! Thanks for the heads up, iluvtennis!

ETA:

Excerpt...

Berman's purported firing is likely to send a shockwave through Washington, as it comes ahead of the release of former national security adviser John Bolton's book, in which Bolton details an exchange that Trump had with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the Southern District.

According to Bolton, after Erdogan handed Trump a memo saying that a Turkish firm under investigation by SDNY was innocent, Trump told Erdogan, "he would take care of things, explaining that the Southern District prosecutors were not his people, but were Obama people, a problem that would be fixed when they were replaced by his people."

Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-donald-trump-fires-us-attorney-southern-district/story?id=71357518

[iluvtennis]

29. Thanks for add'l info trump is nothing but a CRIMINAL Nov 2020 can't get here soon enough for me. nt

[Karma13612]

15. Oh gawd,

This Berman news is just more fuel on the fire in the pit of my stomach.

Vote out the Turd on November Third

[niyad]

18. Wow!! Spend a couple of hours watching a movie, and all hell breaks loose!!

[NBachers]

19. You can say that again! ALSO - I'll repeat something I posted earlier today: Preet Bharara for AG

Plus, the movie I watched, Point of No Return with Bridget Fonda, was a stinker.

[niyad]

20. The movie I watched seems apropos, at least by title,"Knives Out" (nothing like family

in-fighting over money and power!)

[muriel_volestrangler]

21. Berman's statement: investigations continue until Senate confirms any replacement

Link to tweet

I have not resigned, and have no intention of resigning my position, to which I was appointed by the Judges of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. I will step down when a presidentially appointed nominee is confirmed by the Senate. Until then, our investigations will move forward without delay or interruption.

Senate Democrats, you know you job: block any replacement.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

23. Here's the press release:

JUSTICE NEWS
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 19, 2020

Attorney General William P. Barr on the Nomination of Jay Clayton to Serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York

Attorney General William P. Barr has released the following statement:

“I am pleased to announce that President Trump intends to nominate Jay Clayton, currently the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to serve as the next United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. For the past three years, Jay has been an extraordinarily successful SEC Chairman, overseeing efforts to modernize regulation of the capital markets, protect Main Street investors, enhance American competitiveness, and address challenges ranging from cybersecurity issues to the COVID-19 pandemic. His management experience and expertise in financial regulation give him an ideal background to lead the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and he will be a worthy successor to the many historic figures who have held that post. On behalf of the President, I thank Jay for accepting this nomination, and I look forward to working with him soon.

On my recommendation, the President has appointed Craig Carpenito, currently the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, to serve as the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, while the Senate is considering Jay Clayton’s nomination. This appointment will be effective July 3, and Craig will work closely with the outgoing United States Attorney to ensure a smooth transition. I thank Craig for his continued service and for taking on this important interim responsibility.

Finally, I thank Geoffrey Berman, who is stepping down after two-and-a-half years of service as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. With tenacity and savvy, Geoff has done an excellent job leading one of our nation’s most significant U.S. Attorney’s Offices, achieving many successes on consequential civil and criminal matters. I appreciate his service to the Department of Justice and our nation, and I wish him well in the future.”

Topic(s): Office and Personnel Updates
Component(s): Office of the Attorney General
Press Release Number: 20-570

Updated June 19, 2020

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

25. That fucking corrupt walrus needs to go, yesterday! nt

[mahatmakanejeeves]

27. This AP story lists some of the investigations that Berman has launched and the recent allegations

Walter Shaub Retweeted

This AP story lists some of the investigations that Berman has launched and the recent allegations made in the Bolton book that Berman was likely looking into.

Link to tweet

[ck4829]

30. Kick