The United States Attorney for Manhattan, Preet Bharara, appears to believe that he is working for a different branch of government. After Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked for the resignations of all U.S. Attorneys, a standard change of political appointees in a new Administration, Bharara reportedly indicated that President Donald Trump would have to fire him. Just as with the bizarre conduct of Sally Yates as Acting Attorney General, Bharara has shown a curious understanding of this position and his obligations as a federal officer. If these media reports are true, President Trump should immediately accommodate him and Bharara will have to explain to future employers how he justifies such an unfounded stance. [Update: Bharara has been fired]
I sincerely hope that the reports are not true or that Bharara quickly reconsiders and gets his letter of resignation in today. This is not the way to close a successful career as U.S. Attorney. In the end, I am not sure what the basis for refusing a letter of resignation is. Bharara seems a rebel without a cause.
New Administrations (particularly with a change of party) often demand such resignations — though many political appointees do not wait to be asked. Of the 93 U.S. attorneys, 46 were appointed by President Obama. There are career deputies who take over during the interim in these offices. The decision to ask for resignations depends on the president. Bill Clinton did so (including asking Jeff Sessions to resign) while George W. Bush gradually replaced U.S. Attorneys.
Ironically, presidents will sometimes ask for global resignations from political appointees only to decline to accept some on an individual basis. Bharara’s action guaranteed that he would not be one of them. US Attorneys Dana Boente and Rod Rosenstein did submit their letters and appear to have to told that the president has decline to accept their resignations. We will never know of Bharar might have been on that short list because he placed himself on an even shorter list in refusing to resign.
Bharara reportedly felt blindsided by the move and earlier spoke to Trump at Trump Tower. He said that Trump directed Bharara to go out to the cameras and tell them, “I asked you to stay.” Ok, even that is true, what professional standard is Bharara relying on for this obstructive position? Bharara has no claim to this political position or right to demand to remain in the position. According to news reports, Bharara indicated that Sen. Chuck Schumer wanted him to continue and the President agreed. Again, that does not change the fact that he serves at the pleasure of the president.
The Washington Post reported that Bharara first asked for clarification if the demand for resignations applied to him. However, other media outlets like Jake Tapper at CNN are reporting that he refused to submit the letter.
If true, the demand to be fired would be astonishingly unprofessional and frankly juvenile for a high-ranking prosecutor. Bharara has assembled an impressive record as U.S. Attorney and he would tarnish both that record and his office with this position. He should be fired without delay if indeed he has refused and I would hope that such a position would weigh heavily in any future consideration for public office or appointment.
Preet is to honorable to serve these criminals.
Ha ha ha. He worked for Loretta “Tarmac” Lynch.
Well there goes the ‘too honorable theory all shot to hell add that to Webster the Wimp and A non entity from the collectives etc speak up in your behalf is for sure a deal breaker.
Just part of draining the swamp.
Drain the swamp and the rats infest your home. I prefer to leave the rodents in a place I can avoid.
He was grandstanding and for that he will be on someone’s political short list.
If True, the demand to be fired would be astonishingly unprofessional and frankly juvenile for a high-ranking prosecutor.
It’s nothing of the kind. It’s mildly unconventional. You’re too lost in the rituals of your tribe.
Try going on the local media, telling your boss to fire you, and then get back to us on that.
There’s no indication he communicated with his superiors via the media. As I’m not a public figure, it would make no sense for me to call the media for any reason. No one’s ever ‘asked for my resignation’. That’s not the ritual for 85% of the workforce. You either quit or you’re called in Friday afternoon and told you don’t work there anymore.
My boss was escorted out 2 days ago on a Thursday afternoon. Life is GOOD!
Telling your boss to fire you is the one wish that is always granted.
NY Post is reporting Preet Bharaha has now been fired, after refusing to resign.
Politics:
Do you think President Trump was told that wiretapping Trump Tower would mean it was approved by the SDNY US Attorney, so he fired all 46 to get Preet Bharara to leave?
A sick pervert would think that.
Autocorrect it should be “sick person.”
Not just that! I think there were a few of Trump’s friends who wanted him gone!
Roger Ailes for one.
Preet also investigated some Russian oligarchs for racketeering.
Now I know stupidity reigns in the left. Now it pours. That particular part of the IT investigationi was finished seversl days ago. Finsl report “Nothjing” much less any facts. So saying it’s true is nothing more than saying “Look at me I’m stupid beyond words’ But then we already suspected that.
Well,Preet was involved in the ongoing investigation of Trump Tower.
Appointees serve “at the pleasure” of the President and the head of the department in which they serve. It is customary to tender your resignation upon a change in Presidency. Your resignation may be accepted or not. As noted above, only about half of the US Attorneys serving under Obama were holdovers from a previous administration. It doesn’t matter what conversations you have, you tender that resignation and you wait. Then you keep your big mouth shut. If he was indeed going to be kept in his current position, he has probably blown that all to hell by acting like an entitled parvenu.
He had been asked to stay by Trump and then Sessions.
OK, but what’s your point? You tender your resignation and you wait. If you get to keep your job, you get a nice letter. If not, you clean out your locker. it doesn’t matter one wit what conversations you have had. It has always been this way. Assuming what you say is true, and I don’t doubt it, he just blew it by acting like a petulant brat and mouthing off in public. He got exactly what he deserved, as the NYT has reported that Sessions has accommodated him and sent him packing.
As we know their word means nothing.
So you say.. That’s immediately suspect.. But even so acting stuipidly is not going to help. On the other hand we only have your ‘word’ he was Mr. Wonderful of the judicial system. That’s a very very thin and UIV damaged thread given your record
He blew it big time. LOL. Maybe he wanted something to whine about on the media circuit.
Lets see how the MSM is going to blow this out of the water…….
https://twitter.com/michaelluo/status/840637551748751362
Bharara is a joke. He “terrifies” nobody big on Wall Street. Bharara PROTECTED all the real criminals on Wall Street. Did Bharara go after ANY big Wall Street fish? NO! Even during the then massive savings and loan scandal decades earlier, there were many indictments and convictions of bankers. But how about after the financial crisis frauds of 2007 – 2009, when Bharara was “working?”
Zero! Zip! Zilch! Nada!
As absolute proof that I’m 100% on the money as usual in these matters, watch where Bharara lands after he exits the Justice Department. And where do you think he will land? Why, he will end up in some posh Wall Street law firm or one of their allies. They call this the REVOLVING DOOR of Wall Street/Government. The criminals of Wall Street always take care of their own.
”Maybe he wanted something to whine about on the media circuit.”
hmm that was my thought. And quickly we see from the Toobin twitter, it begins. When Yates was fired, as I understand it she/DOJ had defended the EO all weekend, then Monday she refuses. My first thought was she had made a career decision to be some Dem party heroine for the coming decades.
Well he was just fired. I suppose a wrongful termination suit will be filed soon.
Profile in Stupidity.
You’re out….go.
I checked his twitter feed. He was fired moments ago. He said he did not resign.
It does not appear he was resisting an illegal order.
That’s what you get for playing stupd.
Jonathan…I don’t agree with You on this. Sally Yates was right and so is Preet. We all know why Sally was fired and we know why Preet is being fired…yes fired. Some one has to stand up to this guy. Profiles in courage!
Someone is that mythical person like some and all it means is someone else. How brave do you have to be act stupidly. Seems like ‘you people’ have an epidemic on your hands .
“Astonishingly unprofessional”? Nothing about the current political environment is astonishing anymore.
You know, this man has vast knowledge of cases that are going to trial. He does white collar crimes. He was asked by both Trump and Sessions to stay on. He was vetted by congress as an appointment. I think, that he has a right to stand his ground.
There are enough criminals in the White House. There are more in congress. The folks that he is going after contribute millions to candidates.
The little guy needs protection from the criminals in DC and NYC. I was called early this morning to let me know what is happening in NYC. The Hill just published it an hour ago.
He was investigating Fox news. You know Hannity wanted him out.
And yet when was asked to submit the letter as has been the common method for some decades and decades he all of a suddent gets PTSD. If IF what you say is true (questionable as you never present any facts, sources, cites etc) it would have been refused as happened to two others. But no he’s gotta play cupcake. Sucks to be stupid doesn’t. In fact having you in his corner with your known disdain for minor stuff like facts in evidence it’s small wonder about the whole episode.
Stupid is as stuipid does.
Randy Newman wrote this song:
We’ve taken all you’ve given
But it’s gettin’ hard to make a livin’
Mr. President have pity on the working man
We’re not asking you to love us
You may place yourself high above us
Mr. President have pity on the working man
I know it may sound funny
But people ev’ry where are runnin’ out of money
We just can’t make it by ourself
It is cold and the wind is blowing
We need something to keep us gong
Mr. President have pity on the working man
Maybe you’ve cheated
Maybe you’ve lied
Maybe you have lost your mind
Maybe you’re only thinking ’bout yourself
Too late to run. Too late to cry now
The time has come for us to say good-bye now
Mr. President have pity on the working man
Mr. President have pity on the working man
Saiy good bye to Obamsa now we have a working President.
The rules, especially the judicial rules are being rewritten as we speak. There is nothing etched in stone, everything is open to interpretation, and whatever interpretation dominates is determined by he who holds power.
I keep saying it, this country rests on the clay feet of “justice”, which itself ties together democracy and societal order, all of which based on a tacit agreement to play by the rules, and justice/democracy/society unavoidably fails due to the people refusing to play by the rules, and everything subsequently collapses.
The same disease that affects congress, factionism and paralysis will ultimately affect the judicial system and societal breakdown will ensue.
You ain’t seen nothing yet!
Soceital breakdown already occured by people who are too stupid to understand ‘serves at the pleasure of the President.’ We ain’t in a democracy snowflake. We’re in a constitutional republic except as the lowest levels where direct vote is used to elect very very local officials.
No wonder winning this phase of the counter revolution was so easy.
(music–)
Mister President: Have pity on the workin man!
Oh’ he ain’t askin… for you to love him..
Or say you want something from him…
da dant da da da dant da.
etc
We need accurate information. If he was told to stay on he might reasonably be confused about the situation. However, if he was subsequently told to resign and refused, why? He should state his reasons for wanting to be fired and refusing to resign. Is he trying to stand up against something illegal Trump asked him to do? If not, then he is not acting within the law himself.
This isn’t rocket science. If a lawyer is confused by something like this do we really want him or her representing we citizens as one of our employees? Not even close.
LOL, very good.
It sounds to me like Bharara was generally confused on the procedure. And Prof. Turley is right,
he may have jumped the gun, and ruined his chance of a refusal on his resignation.
Which he will never know.
If he had a verbal from Trump that he was good, he then lost the opportunity of the administration accepting his resignation, but not making good on the promise of his staying on his position. Which they he could have gone public with the rest of his liberal friends and had a bitchfest with the liberal media. But he preferred the liberal temper tantrum. Which so many them accuse Trump of having continually. lol.
Please, please, Mr President…FIRE his a**!
Hey all number 1 best seller
“reasons to vote for democrats” says it all. Give this guy his papers.