Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions fire U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who busted Russian spy ring
Donald Trump and his Attorney General Jeff Sessions have fired U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara today, one day after he refused their request to resign, and just weeks after Trump had assured Congress that he would be keeping Preet. The sudden change may be because a watchdog group asked Preet to investigate Trump’s finances two days ago. But it may also be that Trump and Sessions are specifically trying to protect Russian interests.
Just two years ago, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara made a name for himself by charging three Russian nationals who were posing as businessmen in New York City, but who were actually alleged Russian spies. The case brought enough attention that Bharara’s name and picture were atop the New York Daily News article announcing the charges at the time. And a year ago today, one of the three spies pled guilty to being a Russian spy, according to the New York Times. And so if there’s one attorney in the U.S. government whom the Kremlin would want to see gone, it’s Bharara.
To be clear, Preet Bharara is one of forty-six U.S. Attorneys originally appointed by President Barack Obama who were asked to resign yesterday. But he’s become the focal point of controversy because Donald Trump had previously told Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer that Bharara would be staying on. And simultaneously firing dozens of U.S. Attorneys, with no replacements in place, is so unprecedented and bizarre that it suggests they were all fired as an excuse just to get Bharara out the door.
Considering how deeply beholden Trump is to the Kremlin, and considering how much hot water Sessions is in for having met repeatedly with the Russian Ambassador while he was a Trump campaign adviser and then having lied about it while under oath, this Russian wrinkle in Preet Bharara’s firing cannot be ignored. Considering that he’s best known for having busted three Russian spies in New York, it must now be investigated whether his sudden unexpected firing is a result of ongoing Kremlin influence over the Trump administration. Contribute to Palmer Report
