According to the ousted US attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), Attorney General Bill Barr asking him to resign in exchange for another posting could potentially be seen as corruption.
The House Judiciary Committee on Monday released the transcript of its closed-door hearing with Geoffrey Berman, the former US attorney for the Southern District of New York, who had been overseeing the prosecution of alleged criminal activity by several associates of US President Donald Trump.
In his testimony, Berman said that he was taken aback by how Barr tried to replace him, stating according to the transcript that “the irregular and unexplained actions by the attorney general raised serious concerns for me.”
According to Berman, Barr asked him to resign his position so that it would “create an opening for SEC [US Securities and Exchange Commission] Chairman Jay Clayton to be nominated for US attorney for the Southern District of New York.”
House Democrats believe that Berman’s testimony may support their convictions that the Justice Department has been politicized by Barr, Axios reported.
In his testimony, Berman said that Barr warned he would be fired if he did not resign from his position and also said that getting fired “would not be good for [his] resume or future job prospects.”
Berman also noted during his testimony that he challenged his firing because his “sole goal” was to make sure that ongoing investigations he was overseeing “would go forward without disruption and delay.”
Berman also said that Barr’s request that he resign could be seen as a quid pro quo.
When he was later asked to further clarify those comments, he said: “it could be seen as a quid pro quo, his offering me a job in exchange for my resignation.” According to Berman, Barr said that there was a job opening at the Department of Justice’s Civil Division.
Berman on June 20 agreed to step down after Barr agreed to let Berman’s top deputy, Audrey Strauss, take over the reins as acting US attorney for SDNY, instead of US Attorney for the District of New Jersey Craig Carpenito, whom Barr wanted to temporarily take over the position until Clayton could be confirmed by the US Senate.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
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