Trump on firing of Geoffrey Berman: 'I'm not involved'
Source: 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."
Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/20/politics/trump-fires-berman-barr-says/index.html
Link to tweet
From Business Insider:
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-not-involved-sdny-geoffrey-berman-barr-firing-2020-6
"I'm not involved," the president told reporters, adding that the decision was up to Attorney General William Barr.
Trump's statement came minutes after Barr told Berman in a letter that Trump had fired him at the attorney general's request. The president's comment was the latest twist after Barr abruptly announced late Friday that Berman would be "stepping down" from his role as the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Berman said Friday night that he learned of his apparent intent to step down from Barr's announcement and had no knowledge of the decision beforehand.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)Raven123
(4,884 posts)riversedge
(70,347 posts)leftieNanner
(15,179 posts)Trump is a prodigious liar, to be sure, but it's usually effective when he's trying to cover his ample ass. Lying here is the opposite.
And isn't it wonderful?!!!
Midnightwalk
(3,131 posts)cstanleytech
(26,334 posts)The Wielding Truth
(11,415 posts)spike jones
(1,690 posts)You're fired! would be a big event there.
Brainfodder
(6,423 posts)He's stupid, toxic, and shouldn't be President.
Cirque du So-What
(25,999 posts)Rump wants it both ways, but he cant get rid of this meddlesome priest without getting his hands at least slightly bloody. I hope he gets pilloried for this blatantly obstructionist action.
Eliot Rosewater
(31,130 posts)matter.
If he wants you out of the way, you will be out of the way.
I am saying this because did NOT have to happen, still waiting for apologies from the "nose holders."
tulipsandroses
(5,129 posts)the authority to fire Berman, hence he went to Trump when Berman refused to step down. Not sure how accurate what MSNBC said is So if Trump is saying he had nothing to do with it, then does that mean Berman is not fired? What a clusterfuck!
Delphinus
(11,842 posts)be allowed to stand!! This is akin to the Saturday Night Massacre that happened under Nixon, isn't it?
OnDoutside
(19,982 posts)Trump had fired Berman, he would be investigated for Obstruction of Justice, to put the wind up him at the least.
stillcool
(32,626 posts)always has someone do it for him. Barr cleans up, but always leaves a bit of a stain.
scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)only the president does.
So, if the president is saying that he, himself, has not fired Berman, then Berman isn't actually fired.
I hope Berman continues to refuse to step down!
bluestarone
(17,067 posts)I'm really upset and others are as well. Please someone here say if Either RUMP or Barr can fire him? I really really hope and pray NEITHER of them have authority to do it! Could THIS go all the way to the SC?
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,047 posts)Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)was about to go to the Grand Juries rampantly. Just waiting for Cuomo to open up NYC.
These friggin people really thing the Public is that stupid,and folks would not figure out that some major Barr/Trump/Giuilani money laundry deal with China could be hide.
vapor2
(1,249 posts)5 Inspectors general fired in the past few months and now Berman. They are removing anyone and everyone who can hold trump accountable for his crimes. I am fucking sick of their lies, their deceit, their corruption. SOMEONE NEEDS TO STOP THIS NONSENSE.
beastie boy
(9,505 posts)Just in case shit hits the fan, which seems to be quite likely.
paleotn
(17,989 posts)he ain't fired.
jayschool2013
(2,313 posts)If a tree falls in the woods, and nobody chopped it down, is it still standing?
sarge43
(28,946 posts)However, you have been known to tell a wee fib on occasion.
Midnightwalk
(3,131 posts)June 19. Attorney General Barr announces that Berman has resigned and that Jay Clayton, who has no prosecutorial experience, will be nominated as his replacement. U.S. attorney for New Jersey, Craig Carpenito, will be the temporary replacement.
June 19. Berman denies that he has resigned. Berman says:
June 20. Attorney General Barr announces that Barr chose making "public spectacle over public service" so he asked Trump to fire him and that Trump did. The only public spectacle was Berman showed up Barr as a liar for saying he had resigned.
June 20. Trump says "I didn't fire Berman, that's up to Barr". That is a lie (maybe not proven yet), but leaves plenty of room. I expect an announcement later today if not tomorrow that Trump acted on Barr's advice to fire Berman.
Many including me are wondering who has authority to fire Berman. From The NY Times:
Mr. Trump further confused matters by then telling reporters that he was not involved in Mr. Bermans firing and that it was up to Mr. Barr. But legal experts pointed to a 1979 Justice Department opinion to suggest that the ultimate result of any courtroom confrontation is likely to be that Mr. Trump though not Mr. Barr does have the authority to fire Mr. Berman.
Its probably the case that Trump, but not Barr, would have to remove Berman and take the political responsibility for doing so, said Martin S. Lederman, a Georgetown University law professor who served in the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel in the Obama administration.
[link:https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/20/us/politics/geoff-berman-who-can-fire.html|]
What a shit show. This is pay back from Trump for Berman going after Michael Cohen, and to interfere with Grand Juries that have been on hold because of the virus.
Doug.Goodall
(1,241 posts)It is not official until Trump puts it on Twitter since that is the documented record of his Presidency.