Barr's attempt to rein in the Manhattan federal prosecutor's office was an 'abject failure'

William Barr
(Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

A remarkable series of events transpired Friday night and Saturday as Attorney General William Barr tried and failed to quietly push out Geoffrey Berman, the head of the powerful federal prosecutor's office in Manhattan. Barr announced Friday night that Berman was "stepping down," and Berman said he wasn't, had "no intention of resigning," and Barr could not legally force him out. Berman showed up to work on Saturday, and Barr subsequently released a statement saying Trump had fired him. Trump told the press it was Barr's decision and he was "not involved."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.