Anonymous wrote:Anyone know what the hell is going on? Barr says in a letter that Trump fired Berman, and then Trump directly contradicts it by saying he isn't involved. Aren't they normally in lock step?

I don't think anyone kmows anything. Wouldn't be the first time Trump foolishly undercut one of his subordinates.

Anonymous wrote:USAGs serve at the pleasure of the President.

And the president has said he didn't fire him. So, he's not fired. Simple.

I think he’s throwing Barr out to the vultures.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did Trump fire him by letter, by phone call? Or is Barr putting words in Trump's mouth?

Even if Trump is just ratifying Barr’s action, at this point it becomes Trump’s legally. It was always Trump’s optically.

Based on the 40-year OLC memo, Berman should now be gone. Whether a court will see it that way remains to be seen.

Some people like to follow the law, not just how things look.

I expect Berman will vacate as soon as he hears directly from Trump, whether that be today or another day.

That's not what Berman's statement said. He said he'll be waiting for the "vacancy to be filled."

Interesting, though, that Barr's letter says he proposed a swap - Clayton to SDNY and Berman to the SEC. What would be the point of that unless Trump/Barr is trying to obstruct cases at SDNY?

Berman was offered the newly opened head of DOJ Civil Division, not SEC chair based on what I saw reported.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know what the hell is going on? Barr says in a letter that Trump fired Berman, and then Trump directly contradicts it by saying he isn't involved. Aren't they normally in lock step?

Well if Trump says he hasn't fired Berman, then Berman isn't fired.

Good luck AG Barr!

Anonymous wrote:Berman is Schrodinger's Attorney.

lol

USAGs serve at the pleasure of the President.

Berman is Schrodinger's Attorney.

Anonymous wrote:"That's all up to the Attorney General," Trump said, distancing himself from the decision to fire SDNY USA Berman.

"That's all [Barr's] department, not my department."

"I'm not involved," Trump said, minutes after Barr said Trump *ordered* Berman's removal.

Clusterf*ck.

That....doesn't add up.

"That's all up to the Attorney General," Trump said, distancing himself from the decision to fire SDNY USA Berman.

"That's all [Barr's] department, not my department."

"I'm not involved," Trump said, minutes after Barr said Trump *ordered* Berman's removal.

Anyone know what the hell is going on? Barr says in a letter that Trump fired Berman, and then Trump directly contradicts it by saying he isn't involved. Aren't they normally in lock step?

Anonymous wrote:Trump isn't willing to say that he has fired Berman.

https://mobile.twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1274434347882311680

Legally, it hasn't happened. (Yet?)

Is anything Bill Barr says truthful?

Trump isn't willing to say that he has fired Berman.

https://mobile.twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1274434347882311680

Legally, it hasn't happened. (Yet?)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did Trump fire him by letter, by phone call? Or is Barr putting words in Trump's mouth?

Even if Trump is just ratifying Barr’s action, at this point it becomes Trump’s legally. It was always Trump’s optically.

Based on the 40-year OLC memo, Berman should now be gone. Whether a court will see it that way remains to be seen.

Some people like to follow the law, not just how things look.

I expect Berman will vacate as soon as he hears directly from Trump, whether that be today or another day.

But an OLC memo isn’t the law. It is an interpretation of the interplay between different laws that has never been tested. Based on the statute under which he was appointed, he has a good argument that he can stay until someone else is confirmed. But the OLC’s reliance on the general power to appoint and fire also has merit. It just isn’t clear cut what the law is on this.