Geoffrey Berman

United States lawyer and federal prosecutor

Geoffrey Steven Berman (born September 12, 1959) is an American attorney. He was the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2018 until he was fired by President Donald Trump in 2020.[1] He was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1990 to 1994.

Geoffrey Berman
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York
In office
January 5, 2018 – June 20, 2020
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byPreet Bharara
Succeeded byAudrey Strauss (interim)
Personal details
Born
Geoffrey Steven Berman

(1959-09-12) September 12, 1959 (age 64)
Trenton, New Jersey, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Joanne Schwartz
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania (BA, BS)
Stanford University (JD)

In January 2018, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Berman's appointment as interim U.S. Attorney.[2] On April 25, 2018, the judges of the Southern District of New York appointed Berman U.S. Attorney.[3] which may or may not include the appointment of a Presidential nominee being approved by the Senate.[4]

On June 19, 2020, Attorney General William Barr announced that he is firing Berman.[5][6] Hours later, Berman said that he had not resigned, and would not resign until "a presidentially appointed nominee is confirmed by the Senate."[7] At the time that Trump and Barr wanted him fired, Berman was reportedly investigating Trump associate Rudy Giuliani.[8]

References change

  1. "Statement Of U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman On Appointment By Chief Judge". 2018-04-25. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
  2. United States Department of Justice (3 January 2018). "Attorney General Sessions Appoints 17 Current and Former Federal Prosecutors as Interim United States Attorneys". Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  3. 28 U.S.C. § 546 28 U.S. Code § 546. Vacancies (United States Attorneys)
  4. Weiser, Benjamin (2018-04-25). "With No Nomination From Trump, Judges Choose U.S. Attorney for Manhattan". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  5. Chaitin, Daniel (20 June 2020). "Geoffrey Berman resigning as Manhattan US attorney". Washington Examiner.
  6. Barr, William (2020-06-19). "Attorney General William P. Barr on the Nomination of Jay Clayton to Serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York". Department of Justice. Retrieved 2020-06-19.
  7. "Statement Of U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman On Announcement By Attorney General Barr". United States Department of Justice. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-20.
  8. Weiser, Benjamin; Rashbaum, William K.; Hong, Nicole; Haberman, Maggie; Benner, Katie (2020-06-19). "Barr Abruptly Seeks to Fire U.S. Attorney Who Investigated Trump Associates". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-20.