Trump Fires U.S. Attorney Who Was Asked To Investigate President’s Foreign Business Deals
New York’s Preet Bharara Refused Administration’s Request To Resign
Acting deputy Attorney General Dana Boente just called US Attorney Preet Bharara and told him President Trump was firing him.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 11, 2017
The Trump administration on Saturday fired a high-profile prosecutor who’d been asked days before to investigate whether the president is violating the U.S. Constitution by receiving payments from foreign countries.Â
On Friday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions demanded that 46 U.S. attorneys appointed by President Barack Obama submit their resignations.Â
But Preet Bharara, the crusading U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, told his section chiefs late Friday that he hadn’t submitted his resignation letter and might instead challenge Sessions to fire him, according to The Daily Beast.
On Saturday morning, several outlets — including CNN — reported that Bharara would indeed refuse Trump’s request, “placing the President in the position of having to fire him in a public standoff.”
Early Saturday afternoon, Bharara reported on Twitter that the standoff had ended:Â
I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 11, 2017
Bharara’s firing comes three months after he met with Trump and later reported that the then-president-elect had asked him to stay on.Â
According to The New York Times, Bharara is known as “one of the nation’s most aggressive and outspoken prosecutors of public corruption and Wall Street crime.” His jurisdiction included Trump Tower in Manhattan, and his firing comes one week after Trump claimed, without any evidence, that President Barack Obama had wiretapped the building.Â
According to BuzzFeed News, watchdog groups wrote to Bharara on Wednesday to ask him to investigate the president to ensure he was not receiving payments or benefits from foreign countries in violation of the emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution.Â
Here’s how Twitter reacted to Saturday’s news.Â
And he was fired by a small, sad man who needs mercy so desperately, but who is chronically unable to extend it to anyone else.
— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) March 11, 2017
Trump now gets to appt US Atty w/jurisdiction over his @Trump biz empire w/which he remains inextricably entangled. https://t.co/dFRV9FxNlx
— Phillip Carter (@Carter_PE) March 11, 2017
If even 1 inquiry into Trump or his affiliates was pending under @PreetBharara, his firing by Trump was unethical https://t.co/dFRV9FxNlx
— Phillip Carter (@Carter_PE) March 11, 2017
Like Nixon & Morgenthau, Trump fires US Atty Preet Bhrara. Smell the fear.
— Lou Young (@LouYoungNY) March 11, 2017
But you took down that Russian spy ring in 2015. Why would Trump & his team want you fi–
oh. OH. https://t.co/StyLV61jxb
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) March 11, 2017
Bharara fought:
– Wrongdoing at Fox News;
– Political interference w/DOJ investigations; &
– CorruptionAll things Trump needs to survive
— Hari Sevugan (@HariSevugan) March 11, 2017
US Attorney SDNY Robert Morgenthau, now 97, had similar showdown w/Nixon in ’69—tho Nixon hadn’t 1st personally asked him to stay like Trump https://t.co/Qsk4HH03d8
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 11, 2017
The bad hombres of Wall Street are undoubtedly rejoicing over Trump’s firing of US prosecutor Preet Bharara.
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) March 11, 2017
As if we needed further confirmation, @realDonaldTrump‘s word means nothing. https://t.co/5Gf5k3r7nx
— Tim Hogan (@timjhogan) March 11, 2017
If Preet wasn’t investigating Trump in any way, this will all blow over quickly. If he was, hang on to your hats.
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) March 11, 2017
It’s not outrageous that Trump fired a U.S. attorney. It’s telling and craven that he asked him to stay, then fired him because Hannity.
— Josh Greenman (@joshgreenman) March 11, 2017
NY @AGSchneiderman blasts Trump over Bharara firing, dismissal of US attorneys—says it questions whether DOJ’s work will remain non-partisan pic.twitter.com/9zdT3EWBwl
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 11, 2017
So Murdoch supports Trump. Trump asks federal prosecutor investigating Murdoch’s most valuable asset to resign… (1/2)
— Gabriel Sherman (@gabrielsherman) March 11, 2017
And shortlist to replace that prosecutor is former lawyer of the disgraced CEO of Murdoch’s most valuable asset. That’s America in 2017. 2/2
— Gabriel Sherman (@gabrielsherman) March 11, 2017
U.S. Atty @PreetBharara was pursuing a case involving a Russian money laundering scheme. And Trump just fired him. https://t.co/BU59FUaXgh
— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) March 11, 2017
Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.