Barr tries to force Berman to resign. Berman refuses. Trump responds

[Jarhyn]

Ok, I'm not up on all the details yet. I am seeing statements now that Trump has attempted to also fire Berman. But a 1986 memo written by Samuel Alito? indicates that Trump cannot legally do this. It is illegal interference into an investigation. It is textbook obstruction of justice.

What now? Will we get second impeachment? Will this one actually stick?

 

[Arctish]

No, we get something much more dysfunctional: Trump on firing of Geoffrey Berman: 'I'm not involved'

(CNN)Attorney General Bill Barr said in a letter Saturday that President Donald Trump had fired Geoffrey Berman, the powerful prosecutor atop the Manhattan US Attorney's office who has investigated Trump's allies, after Berman refused Barr's effort a day prior to oust him.

"Unfortunately, with your statement of last night, you have chosen public spectacle over public service," Barr said in his 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."
But Trump said Saturday he wasn't involved with the decision.
"Well, that's all up to the attorney general. Attorney General Barr is working on that," Trump said on the South Lawn ahead of his departure for his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "That's his department, not my department. But we have a very capable attorney general so that's really up to him. I'm not involved."

 

[Jarhyn]

No, we get something much more dysfunctional: Trump on firing of Geoffrey Berman: 'I'm not involved'

(CNN)Attorney General Bill Barr said in a letter Saturday that President Donald Trump had fired Geoffrey Berman, the powerful prosecutor atop the Manhattan US Attorney's office who has investigated Trump's allies, after Berman refused Barr's effort a day prior to oust him.

"Unfortunately, with your statement of last night, you have chosen public spectacle over public service," Barr said in his 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."
But Trump said Saturday he wasn't involved with the decision.
"Well, that's all up to the attorney general. Attorney General Barr is working on that," Trump said on the South Lawn ahead of his departure for his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "That's his department, not my department. But we have a very capable attorney general so that's really up to him. I'm not involved."

Criminal Musical Chairs?

 

[Elixir]

No, we get something much more dysfunctional: Trump on firing of Geoffrey Berman: 'I'm not involved'

(CNN)Attorney General Bill Barr said in a letter Saturday that President Donald Trump had fired Geoffrey Berman, the powerful prosecutor atop the Manhattan US Attorney's office who has investigated Trump's allies, after Berman refused Barr's effort a day prior to oust him.

"Unfortunately, with your statement of last night, you have chosen public spectacle over public service," Barr said in his 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."
But Trump said Saturday he wasn't involved with the decision.
"Well, that's all up to the attorney general. Attorney General Barr is working on that," Trump said on the South Lawn ahead of his departure for his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "That's his department, not my department. But we have a very capable attorney general so that's really up to him. I'm not involved."

Criminal Musical Chairs?

We need musical electric chairs for that crowd.
Without the music.

 

[dannyk]

No, we get something much more dysfunctional: Trump on firing of Geoffrey Berman: 'I'm not involved'

(CNN)Attorney General Bill Barr said in a letter Saturday that President Donald Trump had fired Geoffrey Berman, the powerful prosecutor atop the Manhattan US Attorney's office who has investigated Trump's allies, after Berman refused Barr's effort a day prior to oust him.

"Unfortunately, with your statement of last night, you have chosen public spectacle over public service," Barr said in his 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."
But Trump said Saturday he wasn't involved with the decision.
"Well, that's all up to the attorney general. Attorney General Barr is working on that," Trump said on the South Lawn ahead of his departure for his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "That's his department, not my department. But we have a very capable attorney general so that's really up to him. I'm not involved."

According to this view if Trump's not involved they probably can't force him out.

 

[crazyfingers]

So who is lying? Barr or Trump

Or could Barr have put a piece of paper in front of Trump and said, "Here, sign this" and trump did without any idea what he was doing.

Or...... Now many other stories may be true?

All it does is compound the observation that anyone watching would know that both Trump and Barr are corrupt and/or incompetent.

Any way it went, it's clear they have another self-inflicted fire-storm on their hands.

 

[Ford]

Ok, I'm not up on all the details yet. I am seeing statements now that Trump has attempted to also fire Berman. But a 1986 memo written by Samuel Alito? indicates that Trump cannot legally do this. It is illegal interference into an investigation. It is textbook obstruction of justice.

From what I've been reading, there's another twist. The law makes it clear that the President can fire a US Attorney appointed by them and confirmed by the Senate, but Berman is not in this situation. He was appointed as the interim US Attorney by Sessions, and when that time expired he was installed by court order, which specifically states he remains in the job until a replacement has been named by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

In any case, the person who formerly held the job - Preet Bahara - raises a damning question:

“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?”

My guess is that Barr knows the legal guano is about to impact the air conditioner, and he's trying to "head 'em off at the pass" by purging the SDNY office before it happens.

 

[Keith&Co.]

So who is lying? Barr or Trump

Why not both?
Trump is involved, but when he ordered Barr to take care of it, he specifically said 'leave me put of it.'
Barr tried to handle it, invoked Trump's authority without Trump actually signing an order. Trying to give him deniability.

 

[Elixir]

Barr says Trump has fired US attorney Berman

Well, he left, so SOMEONE fired him, and Billyjojimbob Barr doesn't have the authority so...

 

[Ford]

Berman has now agreed to step down, and leave his deputy in charge...which is probably not what Barr or Trump wanted...stay tuned...

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/statement-geoffrey-s-berman

In light of Attorney General Barr’s decision to respect the normal operation of law and have Deputy U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss become Acting U.S. Attorney, I will be leaving the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, effective immediately. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as this District’s U.S. Attorney and a custodian of its proud legacy, but I could leave the District in no better hands than Audrey’s. She is the smartest, most principled, and effective lawyer with whom I have ever had the privilege of working. And I know that under her leadership, this Office’s unparalleled AUSAs, investigators, paralegals, and staff will continue to safeguard the Southern District’s enduring tradition of integrity and independence.

 

[Shadowy Man]

So, how soon before Audrey Strauss is fired?

It would seem that Berman wouldn't have so gracefully stepped down if he didn't think Strauss was prepared to continue his work.

 

[Keith&Co.]

So, how soon before Audrey Strauss is fired?

It would seem that Berman wouldn't have so gracefully stepped down if he didn't think Strauss was prepared to continue his work.

I dunno. Looks like Berman was never actually fired. Barr cannot, Trump says he did not.
Would love to know what Berman's understanding of the Senate confirmation circus is....

 

[Shadowy Man]

So, how soon before Audrey Strauss is fired?

It would seem that Berman wouldn't have so gracefully stepped down if he didn't think Strauss was prepared to continue his work.

I dunno. Looks like Berman was never actually fired. Barr cannot, Trump says he did not.
Would love to know what Berman's understanding of the Senate confirmation circus is....

Either Barr overstepped his authority or Trump threw Barr under the bus. Or some combination of the two. Doesn’t matter though because a Congress doesn’t care.

Berman likely believed Barr when he said Trump fired him. If only he had waited long enough.