Preet Bharara, Indian-American U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York has been told to quit on March 10, along with other 45 U.S. Attorneys from the Obama administration. In a surprise turnaround, President Trump had asked him to continue in office, summarily ordered all 46 to submit their resignations.
Indian American attorney of California running for DOJ top job
Bharara has been the high profile prosecutor for his convictions over insider trading, including sending luminaries such as former McKinsey & Co. managing director and Goldman Sachs board member Rajat Gupta to prison. He has won several cases against the New York state political machine putting top elected officials behind bars.
Last November, Bharara had a meeting with the then President-elect Trump, and told the media that the incoming president had asked him if he would like to continue and he had agreed to do so.
Dana Boente, the Justice Department’s acting deputy attorney general had called Bharara and asked him to submit his resignation. In an email, Sarah Isgur Flores, a Justice Department spokeswoman, asked the 46 remaining Obama administration U.S. Attorneys to resign and their work taken over by Deputy U.S. Attorneys.
Six Indian Americans win in Lexington
“As was the case in prior transitions, many of the United States Attorneys nominated by the previous administration already have left the Department of Justice,” Flores said in the email. “The Attorney General has now asked the remaining 46 presidentially appointed U.S. Attorneys to tender their resignations in order to ensure a uniform transition.”
By Premji
