Moments ago I was fired.” Referring to the Southern District of New York, he continued, “Being<br />the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.”<br />Peter Carr, a Justice Department spokesman, declined to characterize Mr. Bharara’s departure<br />that way, saying only, “I can confirm that Mr. Bharara is no longer the U. S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.”<br />All presidents choose their own appointees for United States attorney positions and almost always ask those from their predecessors to leave.<br />Two White House officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid offending the president, said the promise to keep Mr. Bharara on was a product of a chaotic transition process<br />and Mr. Trump’s desire at the time to try to work with Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, with whom Mr. Bharara is close.<br />The Southern District of New York, which Mr. Bharara has overseen since 2009, encompasses Manhattan, Mr. Trump’s home<br />before he was elected president, as well as the Bronx, Westchester County and other counties north of New York City.<br />U. S. Attorney Preet Bharara Says He Was Fired After Refusing to Quit -<br />By MAGGIE HABERMAN and CHARLIE SAVAGEMARCH 11, 2017<br />The call to Preet Bharara’s office from President Trump’s assistant came on Thursday.<br />At the meeting, according to those briefed, Mr. Trump asked Mr. Bharara to remain in the job,<br />which Mr. Bharara relayed to reporters and television cameras in the Trump Tower lobby.<br />Mr. Boente reiterated that Mr. Bharara was being asked to resign, and Mr. Bharara said that he was interpreting that as being fired.
