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| Ousted U.S. attorney who investigated Trump associates briefs Congress about events leading to his departure | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Geoffrey Berman, whose abrupt removal as U.S. attorney in Manhattan sparked concerns of political retaliation, briefed lawmakers Thursday on the unusual sequence of events — including a standoff with the U.S. attorney general — that led to his departure last month. | |
| Berman, who testified in private before the House Judiciary Committee, is not expected to speculate on the reasons for his removal — notably, suspicions among the administration’s critics that President Trump wanted him gone because Berman’s prosecutors had been investigating the president’s allies, including Trump’s personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani. Nor, committee aides say, will Berman discuss ongoing investigations being run out of New York. | |
| Thursday’s hearing, which started at noon, is part of the committee’s inquiry into Attorney General William P. Barr’s management of the Justice Department and what Democrats deem his “unprecedented politicization” of the historically apolitical agency. Barr, who has been criticized for intervening in cases of personal consequence to the president, is due to testify publicly before committee at the end of July. | |
| Trump ousts U.S. attorney who investigated president’s associates | Trump ousts U.S. attorney who investigated president’s associates |
| Berman’s testimony is expected to shed light on the increasingly fraught relationship between a powerful U.S. attorney’s office that prides itself on its prosecutorial independence — the Southern District of New York — and a president who demands absolute fealty from officials within the executive branch. | Berman’s testimony is expected to shed light on the increasingly fraught relationship between a powerful U.S. attorney’s office that prides itself on its prosecutorial independence — the Southern District of New York — and a president who demands absolute fealty from officials within the executive branch. |
| His departure June 20 capped a dizzying set of developments that began with a meeting with Barr in Manhattan the day before, when the attorney general offered — and Berman declined — a job as head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. At 9:15 p.m. that Friday, in a surprise move, Barr announced that Berman was stepping down; that Trump planned to nominate the current chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Jay Clayton, to take his place; and that in the interim Trump would appoint the U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey, Craig Carpenito, to oversee the New York office in an acting capacity. | His departure June 20 capped a dizzying set of developments that began with a meeting with Barr in Manhattan the day before, when the attorney general offered — and Berman declined — a job as head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. At 9:15 p.m. that Friday, in a surprise move, Barr announced that Berman was stepping down; that Trump planned to nominate the current chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Jay Clayton, to take his place; and that in the interim Trump would appoint the U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey, Craig Carpenito, to oversee the New York office in an acting capacity. |
| About two hours later, Berman fired back, saying he had not resigned and intended to stay in his job until a nominee was confirmed to ensure the office’s investigations “continue unimpeded.” At 1 a.m., he sent a message to his staff of more than 200 attorneys. “Please know that my only concern is protecting this office and your work,” the message said. “It is the privilege of a lifetime to be your U.S. attorney and I will do everything in my power to honor the trust you have given me.” | About two hours later, Berman fired back, saying he had not resigned and intended to stay in his job until a nominee was confirmed to ensure the office’s investigations “continue unimpeded.” At 1 a.m., he sent a message to his staff of more than 200 attorneys. “Please know that my only concern is protecting this office and your work,” the message said. “It is the privilege of a lifetime to be your U.S. attorney and I will do everything in my power to honor the trust you have given me.” |
| Barr in standoff with U.S. attorney Geoffrey Berman, who investigated Trump associates | Barr in standoff with U.S. attorney Geoffrey Berman, who investigated Trump associates |
| The standoff lasted through much of that Saturday. Barr sent a letter to Berman in the afternoon notifying him that “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.” He said that, as a result, Berman’s deputy, Audrey Strauss, would serve as acting U.S. attorney until a successor could be confirmed. | The standoff lasted through much of that Saturday. Barr sent a letter to Berman in the afternoon notifying him that “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.” He said that, as a result, Berman’s deputy, Audrey Strauss, would serve as acting U.S. attorney until a successor could be confirmed. |
| With the knowledge that his handpicked deputy would take up the reins, Berman dropped his resistance to leaving. | With the knowledge that his handpicked deputy would take up the reins, Berman dropped his resistance to leaving. |
| Trump told reporters that firing Berman was “all up to” Barr and that he was “not involved.” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany acknowledged two days later that Trump had given the “sign-off.” | Trump told reporters that firing Berman was “all up to” Barr and that he was “not involved.” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany acknowledged two days later that Trump had given the “sign-off.” |
| Trump’s pick for Manhattan U.S. attorney refuses to say he would recuse from probes of president’s associates | Trump’s pick for Manhattan U.S. attorney refuses to say he would recuse from probes of president’s associates |
| Berman, 60, a lifelong Republican who had volunteered on the Trump transition team, was appointed U.S. attorney on an interim basis by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions in January 2018. Trump personally interviewed Berman, who had been an assistant U.S. attorney in Manhattan from 1990 to 1994. When 120 days had passed without the president nominating a permanent U.S. attorney, the judges of the Southern District stepped in and appointed Berman to the job, pursuant to federal law. | Berman, 60, a lifelong Republican who had volunteered on the Trump transition team, was appointed U.S. attorney on an interim basis by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions in January 2018. Trump personally interviewed Berman, who had been an assistant U.S. attorney in Manhattan from 1990 to 1994. When 120 days had passed without the president nominating a permanent U.S. attorney, the judges of the Southern District stepped in and appointed Berman to the job, pursuant to federal law. |
| Over the ensuing months Berman’s office brought a number of high-profile cases that involved Trump associates, including convicting the president’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen of tax evasion, campaign finance violations and lying to Congress. Last October, Southern District prosecutors charged two Trump and Rudolph W. Giuliani associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, with scheming to funnel foreign money to U.S. politicians while trying to influence U.S.-Ukraine relations. | Over the ensuing months Berman’s office brought a number of high-profile cases that involved Trump associates, including convicting the president’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen of tax evasion, campaign finance violations and lying to Congress. Last October, Southern District prosecutors charged two Trump and Rudolph W. Giuliani associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, with scheming to funnel foreign money to U.S. politicians while trying to influence U.S.-Ukraine relations. |
| Giuliani associates arrested on campaign finance charges | Giuliani associates arrested on campaign finance charges |
| There had been discussion last fall that Berman might be removed and replaced with Ed O’Callaghan, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan who served as then-Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein’s top assistant. But talk of replacing Berman ceased after Parnas and Fruman were charged, as such a development may have appeared retaliatory. | There had been discussion last fall that Berman might be removed and replaced with Ed O’Callaghan, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan who served as then-Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein’s top assistant. But talk of replacing Berman ceased after Parnas and Fruman were charged, as such a development may have appeared retaliatory. |
| Analysts have noted that if Trump sought to replace Berman with a more malleable U.S. attorney, the effort backfired. Strauss, colleagues say, possesses the experience and acumen to guide the office through turbulent times while upholding its long tradition of independence. | Analysts have noted that if Trump sought to replace Berman with a more malleable U.S. attorney, the effort backfired. Strauss, colleagues say, possesses the experience and acumen to guide the office through turbulent times while upholding its long tradition of independence. |
| A registered Democrat, she was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District from 1976 to 1983. While there, she bested defense attorney and political fixer Roy Cohn, a man Trump has called a mentor, in his attempt to overturn convictions of two Mafia members. Strauss later served on the staff of the independent counsel investigating the Iran-contra affair. | A registered Democrat, she was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District from 1976 to 1983. While there, she bested defense attorney and political fixer Roy Cohn, a man Trump has called a mentor, in his attempt to overturn convictions of two Mafia members. Strauss later served on the staff of the independent counsel investigating the Iran-contra affair. |