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U.S. NEWS Monday 22 June 2020
Under Trump, ‘You’re fired!’ even greets federal prosecutors

Continued from Front presented California lawy-
er Michael Avenatti in his
“Why does a president get recent fraud trial defense.
rid of his own hand-picked She said prosecutors were
US Attorney in SDNY on a naturally anxious after the
Friday night, less than 5 Justice Department state-
months before the elec- ment saying he’d stepped
tion?” Bharara wrote in a down was released.
follow-up tweet that reflec- “It was immediately clear
ted the mystery hitting the to anyone who knows
office again now. anything about this world
Nobody would know bet- that he had not decided
ter what Berman was going to step down, that he had
through than Bharara, who been shown the door,” she
was told he could stay in said. “Everyone was wat-
his job in a late 2016 mee- ching and waiting for his
ting with Donald Trump at response and were so gra-
Trump Tower only to be told tified that he hit back hard
to quit the post weeks after in the finest traditions of
Trump’s inauguration along the office and said: ‘Not so
with other prosecutors ap- fast, we’re going to keep
pointed by President Ba- doing the good work that
rack Obama. we do and you’re going to
Bharara refused to quit, In this June 8, 2017, file photo, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York have to actually follow the
only to be fired the next Preet Bharara arrives before former FBI director James Comey testifies at a Senate Intelligence specific law here.’”
Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington.
day. Associated Press The Southern District of New
It was a road map for Ber- York is known for drawing
man, who three years budge until a successor tention of resigning, I have formally nominated him. top talent that has targe-
later defiantly issued a was confirmed by Con- asked the President to re- Although he was recused ted Wall Street executives,
statement of his own that gress. move you as of today, and from the prosecution of suspected terrorists and
openly mocked the Justice “Our investigations will he has done so.” Trump’s former personal prominent government of-
Department’s announce- move forward without de- By dinnertime, Berman had lawyer Michael Cohen, he ficials. Its work has even
ment. lay or interruption,” he pro- said he would leave his job, proceeded with other pro- been fictionalized on the
“I learned in a press release mised. saying in light of Barr’s deci- bes surely drawing interest popular Showtime series
from the Attorney General Barr waited until midafter- sion to “respect the normal from the president, inclu- “Billions.”
tonight that I was ‘stepping noon Saturday to respond operation of law” and ask ding an insider trading pro- “It’s a young, aggressive,
down’ as United States At- in a way that mimicked the deputy U.S. attorney to secution of the first mem- hardworking group of lawy-
torney. I have not resigned, what happened to Bha- step in, he’d go immedia- ber of Congress to endorse ers who know they’re not
and have no intention of rara. tely. Trump in 2016 and probes there for a very long time,”
resigning,” he announced “Unfortunately, with your Since Berman was appoin- of Trump’s inaugural fund- said Michael Bromwich, an
in a statement shortly after statement of last night, you ted in early January 2018 raising and efforts abroad alumnus of the office and
11 p.m. Friday. He showed have chosen public spec- by then-Attorney General on the president’s behalf former Justice Department
up for work Saturday mor- tacle over public service,” Jeff Sessions, his job security by Giuliani. inspector general. “They’re
ning, telling reporters he Barr wrote a day after mee- has always seemed preca- “The most surprising thing is not fat, happy and conten-
was doing his job. ting Berman in Manhattan rious. A few months into his that he’s held on as long as ted. They’re eager to do
He explained he was ap- and offering him other jobs. work, Manhattan judges he has,” said Danya Perry, a the work that they came
pointed by Manhattan fe- “Because you have decla- appointed him permanent- former Manhattan federal there to do. And they’re
deral judges and wouldn’t red that you have no in- ly because Trump never prosecutor who recently re- ambitious.”q

Minority officers allege discrimination over Chauvin booking

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Eight being held at the Ramsey serve to have employment suspect who could po-
minority corrections officers County Jail on $1 million decisions made based on tentially aggravate those
who work at the jail holding bond. Eight Ramsey County performance and behav- feelings," Lydon said in a
a former Minneapolis police corrections officers filed ra- ior," she said. "Their main statement given during an
officer charged with mur- cial discrimination charges goal is to make sure this internal investigation and
der in the death of George with the Minnesota Depart- never happens again." provided by the sheriff's of-
Floyd allege that they were ment of Human Rights on Jail Superintendent Steve fice to the Star Tribune. He
barred from guarding or Friday alleging that when Lydon allegedly told supe- has since been demoted.
having contact with the of- Chauvin was booked into riors that he was informed The discrimination charges
ficer because of their race. the jail, all officers of color that day that Chauvin are expected to automati-
Floyd died on May 25 af- were ordered to a sepa- would be arriving in 10 min- cally trigger a state inves-
ter Derek Chauvin, who rate floor, according to utes and he made a call tigation. It would mark
is white, used his knee to the Star Tribune, which ob- "to protect and support" mi- the second Department This May 31, 2020, file photo
pin down the handcuffed tained a copy of charges. nority employees by shield- of Human Rights racism provided by the Hennepin
Black man's neck even The charges allege that a ing them from Chauvin. probe into a law enforce- County Sheriff shows former
Minneapolis police officer
after Floyd stopped mov- supervisor told one of the "Out of care and concern, ment agency in recent Derek Chauvin, who was
ing and pleading for air. officers that because of and without the comfort of weeks. The state launched arrested Friday, May 29, in
Chauvin is charged with their race, they would be time, I made a decision to a sweeping inquiry into the the May 25 death of George
second-degree murder a potential "liability" around limit exposure to employ- Minneapolis Police Depart- Floyd.
and manslaughter. He is Chauvin. "I think they de- ees of color to a murder ment after Floyd's death.q Associated Press