House to interview fired NY prosecutor probing Trump allies
WASHINGTON (AP) — The ousted U.S. attorney who was leading investigations into President Donald Trump's allies is set to appear before the House Judiciary Committee for a private interview as the panel deepens its probe of politicization at the Justice Department.
Geoffrey Berman, the former federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, engaged in an extraordinary standoff last month when Attorney General William Barr sought to have him leave office. Berman refused to step down, relenting only after being assured his office's probes of Trump's circle would continue.
In setting Thursday's interview, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., called Berman's dismissal “part of a clear and dangerous pattern” of behavior by Barr. The panel's Democratic majority is pursuing its investigation of the attorney general, who they say operates more like Trump's personal lawyer than the nation's top law enforcement official. Barr is set to testify before the committee later this month.
The Southern District, known for its high-profile prosecutions, is where Berman oversaw several ongoing investigations of Trump associates, including some who figured prominently in the House impeachment inquiry of the president.
Berman's office is looking into the business dealings of Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer and a former New York mayor. It has also prosecuted Trump’s former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who went to prison for lying to Congress and campaign finance crimes.
SDNY has probed Trump's inaugural fundraising and overseen the prosecution of two Florida businessmen, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, who were associates of Giuliani and tied to the Ukraine impeachment investigation. The men were charged in October with federal campaign finance violations.
The Judiciary panel's interview...