President Trump has officially fired a U.S. attorney in Manhattan who led multiple investigations involving his associates.
The Justice Department announced late Friday that it would replace Geoffrey Berman, a powerful prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, though Berman announced shortly afterward that he had no intention of resigning.
In a letter obtained by BuzzFeed News, Barr notified Berman that he asked Trump to officially fire him after his statement the night before.
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#BREAKING: Trump officially fires US attorney in Manhattan: "You have chosen public spectacle over public service" https://t.co/spQQM8XZnX pic.twitter.com/lFudRy3blA
— The Hill (@thehill) June 20, 2020
Whatever is going on in SDNY, Trump is browning out his Bermudas over it https://t.co/ejtEPYuDzV
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 20, 2020
Best part of this letter: Barr assures Berman that if he has any concerns, he can forward them to the Inspector General at DoJ, because God knows this administration would never touch an inspector general. https://t.co/p6h3w2W0x4
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 20, 2020
The House of Representatives should immediately commence an impeachment inquiry into the conduct of the Attorney General of the United States.
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) June 20, 2020
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) June 20, 2020
The person who created this "public spectacle" is Barr, who lied in a press release that Berman agreed to resign, when he had no intention to quit.
What a joke. https://t.co/NmY8V6UYNq
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) June 20, 2020
To recap:
Barr says Berman is leaving
Berman says Barr doesn't have the authority to fire him and he's not leaving
Barr releases a letter saying he has asked the president to fire Berman and the president has done so
The president says he's not involved and it's up to Barr
— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) June 20, 2020
It’s like Berman forced Barr to put Trump’s name on the decision and now Trump realizes how bad that could turn out for him. https://t.co/VR0eGQFUz6
— Nick Confessore (@nickconfessore) June 20, 2020
This letter says Barr offered Berman to Chair the SEC.
So we’re supposed to believe Barr just wanted to swap the head of the SEC, who is not a prosecutor, with the head of SDNY, and make that happen urgently on a Friday night for no particular reason? https://t.co/so3pnYyjUV
— Ian Bassin (@ianbassin) June 20, 2020
Evergreen: https://t.co/VD16C6UKcN pic.twitter.com/YbLMVrEQUH
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 20, 2020
Letter not sent by WH, not signed by trump .. Barr known liar so it’s an alleged firing 🤷🏻♀️ https://t.co/r3rFS1WPAj
— Jenny DeMilo LLC (@jennydemilo) June 20, 2020
Barr’s authority to fire Berman on his own is dubious *at best.* The president probably has to do it himself. And the president effectively just admitted that he didn’t do it. So Berman should call Barr’s bluff and stay right where he is.
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) June 20, 2020
Guys, I’m starting to think that William Barr isn’t very serious about the rule of law or the protection of the Constitution. I don’t want to rush to judgment, but, you know, I’m starting to have my doubts.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) June 20, 2020
It's sooooo frustrating trying to obstruct justice on behalf of a client who is too dumb to know how to do it
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) June 20, 2020
Absolutely outrageous: Barr tried to get SDNY to un-do the part of the Michael Cohen conviction that implicated the President, per NYT.
But the SDNY resisted. Which helps explain last weekend’s attempted takeover.
https://t.co/33GlZdrGd7— Elie Honig (@eliehonig) June 25, 2020
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