WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (US) – A stand-off over the independence of one of the country’s most important prosecutor’s offices ended on Saturday when Geoffrey Berman agreed to resign as US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the office that had been investigating President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani.
Confirmation of Berman’s departure came after Attorney General William Barr told him he had been fired by Trump at Barr’s request, and that Berman’s hand-picked No. 2, Deputy US Attorney Audrey Strauss, would become Acting US Attorney until a permanent replacement assumes charge.
Berman’s office, which is known for prosecuting the most high profile terrorism cases, Wall Street financial crimes and government graft, has not shied from taking on figures close to Trump.
It prosecuted Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer, indicted two Giuliani associates and ordered an investigation into Giuliani in connection with his efforts to dig up dirt on Trump’s political adversaries in Ukraine.
Critics say the standoff with follows the latest in a series of moves that are meant to benefit Trump politically and undermine the independence of the Justice Department.
The row began late on Friday, when Barr unexpectedly announced that Berman was stepping down and would be replaced by US Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton.
Berman, however, said in a statement that he had no intention of stepping down until the Senate confirmed his successor.
On Friday, Barr announced he had picked Craig Carpenito, the Attorney for the Southern District of New Jersey, to serve as Acting US Attorney until Clayton’s posting was confirmed.
But in a letter on Berman on Saturday, Barr back-tracked from that plan, saying Strauss would take over in an acting capacity.
A former Southern District prosecutor said Barr’s initial decision to install Carpenito marked a “huge departure” from normal practice.
In the letter, Barr said he was “surprised and quite disappointed” by Berman’s statement and he accused Berman of choosing “public spectacle over public service.”
“I have asked the President to remove you as of today, and he has done so,” Barr said.
‘I DON’T GET INVOLVED’
In an interview with Fox News Channel, Trump said he approved Barr’s request, adding he did not know Giuliani was being probed by Berman, although he had read that recently.
“If (Barr) wants to do something … I don’t get involved,” Trump said in an interview. “But the president has to sign a document, where I guess you give it your OK. And he wants to run his operation, and that’s okay with me.”
Asked if Barr said why he wanted to fire Berman, Trump said: “We spent very little time talking about it, but I have a lot of respect for Attorney General Barr.”
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field
