Washington, D.C. –Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) released the following statement on the purported firing of United States Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman:

"Last night, Attorney General Bill Barr told us that Geoffrey Berman of the SDNY had resigned—which was untrue.  Today, Barr told us that the President asked him to fire Mr. Berman—which may also be untrue, given that the President says he had nothing to do with the decision.  The whole thing smacks of corruption and incompetence, which is what we have come to expect from this President and his Attorney General.

"Neither the President nor the Department of Justice have offered any explanation for Mr. Berman’s purported dismissal.  We know that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is engaged in investigations aimed at President Trump’s inner circle.  We know, from revelations earlier this week, that the President wanted to have ‘his own people’ in that office to help him with his personal and political needs.  And we know that, time and time again, Bill Barr has reached into ongoing criminal investigations in order to protect the President from their consequences.  The American people are right to be outraged.  Barr may sit in the office of the chief law enforcement officer of the United States, but he clearly cares very little about the law.

"The House Judiciary Committee will immediately open an investigation into this incident, as part of our broader investigation into Barr’s unacceptable politicization of the Department of Justice.  On Wednesday, the Committee will hear from two whistleblowers who will explain why Barr’s attempt to fire Mr. Berman is part of a larger, ongoing, and wholly unacceptable pattern of conduct.  If the President removes Mr. Berman, then we will take additional steps to secure his testimony as well."