The U.S. Attorney who refused to step down from his role after being replaced has been fired by President Donald Trump, according to Attorney General William Barr.
Barr told U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) Geoffrey Berman in a letter on Saturday that he had asked the president to fire Berman following Bermans declaration that he had no intention of resigning, against the Trump administrations wishes.
“Unfortunately, with your statement of last night, you have chosen public spectacle over public service,” Barr said in the letter obtained by media outlets. “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.”
The attorney general also said Deputy U.S. Attorney Audrey Straus will take over the job until a permanent successor is in place.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times request for comment about the letter.
The letter comes after Berman contradicted Barrs announcement that the attorney would be stepping down after serving two-and-a-half years in his post. The attorney general said in a press release on Friday that Trump intends to nominate Jay Clayton, who is currently the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to serve as the next prosecutor for the SDNY office.
Following the announcement, Berman released a statement saying that he had learned about his resignation from Barrs announcement and had no intention of leaving his position.
“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. I cherish every day that I work with the men and women of this Office to pursue justice without fear or favor–and intend to ensure that this Offices important cases continue unimpeded,” Berman said in a statement on Friday evening.
Barr said in his letter to Berman that he was “surprised” and “disappointed” by Bermans statement, adding that he had intended to continue discussions with Berman about the possibility that the U.S. attorney remains in a senior position in the department or administration.
The attorney general also noted that Bermans statement “wrongly implies” that his continued tenure in the office is “necessary to ensure that cases now pending in the Southern District of New York are handled appropriately.”
“This is obviously false,” Barr wrote. “I fully expect that the office will continue to handle all cases in the normal course and pursuant to the Departments applicable standards, policies, and guidance.”
Following Bermans statement, several top Democrats have weighed in on the situation, accusing the DOJ of interfering in SDNY investigations.
Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called for Clayton to withdraw his name from consideration from the position while urging DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz to launch an investigation into the DOJs move to replace Berman. Meanwhile, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said his committee is inviting Berman to testify this coming Wednesday.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) signaled on Saturday that he would not proceed with the nomination without the approval of Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).
“As to processing U.S. Attorney nominations, it has always been the policy of the Judiciary Committee to receive blue slips from the home state senators before proceeding to the nomination,” Graham said in a statement. “As chairman, I have honored that policy and will continue to do so.”
