Trump Fires U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman Who Refused To Resign

Attorney General William Barr announced that President Donald Trump fired Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. Barr initially suggested a day earlier that Berman was resigning from the office, in which the Berman denied.

“Unfortunately, with your statement of last night, you have chosen public spectacle over public service,” Barr said in an open letter to Berman. “Because you have declared that you have no intention of resigning, I have asked the President to remove you as of today, and he has done so.”

Barr also defended Trump’s decision by emphasizing his executive power.

“Indeed, the court’s appointment power has been upheld only because the Executive retains the authority to supervise and remove the officer,” he said.

However, Trump denied any involvement with Bermans’ removal and claimed that it was all up to Barr.

“I’m not involved,” Trump told reporters Saturday. “That’s all up to the attorney general.”

On Friday, Barr said in a press release that Berman is “stepping down after two-and-a-half years of service.”

Shortly after the statement, Berman contradicted Barr by saying that he only learned about his “resignation” from the press release.

“I have not resigned, and have no intention of resigning, my position,” he added. “I will step down when a presidentially appointed nominee is confirmed by the Senate.”

Berman had prosecuted and probed many of Trump’s associates during his tenure, including his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen. 

Article by Dongyoon Shin