Preet Bharara to stay on as U.S. Attorney after meeting with President-elect Trump

NEW YORK (Diya TV) — U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara met with President-elect Donald Trump in New York City Wednesday, and told reporters after his meeting with the billionaire real estate mogul that he plans to stay on in his current capacity for the next administration.

Bharara, whom many regard as the Justice Department’s most powerful prosecutor, said that he agreed to remain the U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York after a “good meeting” with the president-elect.

“The President-elect asked, presumably because he’s a New Yorker and is aware of the great work that our office has done over the past seven years … whether or not I’d be prepared to stay on” and “I agreed,” Bharara said.

He added that Sen. Jeff Sessions, the president-elect’s pick for Attorney General, reached out to him previously and asked if he’d consider staying put for the Trump administration.

Incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) offered his vote for Bharara.

“President-elect Trump called me last week” about Bharara, Schumer said. “I told him I thought Preet was great, and I would be all for keeping him on the job.”

“I am glad they met and am glad Preet is staying on. He’s been one of the best U.S Attorneys New York has ever seen,” Schumer said.

Bharara and his office are well known for their successful prosecutions of Wall Street figures, such as securing the guilty plea of Bernard Maddoff’s brother, Peter, for his role in the former’s infamous Ponzi scheme. He also created two units whose primary focus are financial fraud, a unit which has collected multimillion dollar settlements from various financial institutions.

Bharara also successfully prosecuted two top New York state lawmakers (one Democrat, one Republican) on charges related to corruption.

“Obviously it’s caught his attention what (Bharara’s) done in New York. It’s the same approach Mr. Trump would like to bring to Washington,” a campaign official said.