“The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District
of New York is in a fight with the Justice Department over his job. Geoffrey
Berman has overseen prosecutions of associates of President Trump, including
Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen. He also brought the grand jury
indictment against associates of the president's current personal attorney,
Rudolf Giuliani. Attorney General William Barr, in a statement released late Friday night, said that
Berman is ‘stepping down’ and the president is nominating Jay Clayton, chairman
of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to succeed Berman.
“A short time later, Geoffrey Berman fired off
his own announcement, denying Barr's statement. ‘I learned
in a press release from the Attorney General tonight that I was 'stepping down'
as United States Attorney,’ Berman said. ‘I have not resigned, and have no
intention of resigning, my position, to which I was appointed by the Judges of
the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. I will
step down when a presidentially appointed nominee is confirmed by the Senate. Until
then, our investigations will move forward without delay or interruption.’
“While Berman is pushing back against leaving
his post, Attorney General Barr's press release indicated that President Trump
has already appointed an interim replacement for Berman. Barr said that
effective July 3rd, Craig Carpenito, the current US Attorney for the District
of New Jersey, would take over until Clayton is confirmed. Barr thanked Berman
for his service, adding, ‘With tenacity and savvy, Geoff has done an excellent
job leading one of our nation's most significant U.S. Attorney's Offices,
achieving many successes on consequential civil and criminal matters.’
“Under Berman's watch, his office brought the
prosecution of multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein on federal sex trafficking
charges. Berman later charged two corrections officers who were supposed
to guard Epstein with dereliction of their duties after Epstein's apparent
suicide in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Berman's team also
aggressively investigated and prosecuted Trump's former personal attorney and
fixer, Michael Cohen. Cohen ultimately pleaded guilty to financial crimes,
lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes.
“Under oath, Cohen implicated Trump in
payments made to two women ahead of the 2016 elections to keep them quiet about
affairs they said they had with Trump. Berman issued a grand jury indictment against Lev
Parnas and Igor Fruman, two men associated with Rudy Giuliani. The two have
pleaded ‘not guilty’ to setting up a shell company to hide the foreign sourcing
of a $325,000 donation to a superPAC committed to President Trump's reelection.
The two also allegedly helped Giuliani in efforts to dig up dirt on former Vice
President Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine. And Berman's office has
investigated the business dealings of Giuliani himself, but no charges have
been brought against him” (Geoffrey Berman, U.S. Attorney Who Prosecuted Trump Allies, Says He Won't Quit, NPR).
Another Attack on Justice in America by Trump and Barr!
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