Warren slams Trump over US attorney’s firing

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) slammed President Donald Trump on Sunday for firing a top Manhattan-based federal prosecutor who would’ve “had authority over Trump Tower.”

In a flurry of tweets, the Democratic senator suggested Trump removed Preet Bharara because he was not a Trump “loyalist” who would allow the president to get away with wrongdoing.

.@realDonaldTrump talked a big game about getting corruption out of gov. But he wants a bunch of tame prosecutors who won’t investigate him.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 12, 2017

.@realDonaldTrump wants people like AG Sessions – a loyalist who lied to the Senate about meeting with the Russians – in @TheJusticeDept.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 12, 2017

Warren also said Trump broke a promise to keep Bharara, adding that Trump broke protocol and called Bharara before firing him shortly thereafter.

Weeks ago, @realDonaldTrump promised to keep Preet Bharara as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan. Yesterday, Preet was fired. Why?

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 12, 2017

Preet Bharara had authority over Trump Tower. @realDonaldTrump called him directly, breaching protocol. 24 hrs later he was asked to resign.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 12, 2017

Warren implied that Trump asked for Bharara’s resignation because he “stands up to both parties & Wall Street.”

GOP & Dems respect Preet Bharara as a fearless prosecutor who stands up to both parties & Wall Street. I guess that's why Trump fired him.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 12, 2017

Warren then cited the firing of acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who publicly denounced and refused to defend Trump’s travel ban executive order.

Warren also promised to put up “a massive fight” during the confirmation for U.S. attorney nominees.

You can't fire the rule of law, @realDonaldTrump. You can't shut down ongoing investigations by career prosecutors.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 12, 2017

Newsflash, @realDonaldTrump: The Senate confirms US Attorneys. And you're not replacing real prosecutors with cronies w/out a massive fight.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 12, 2017

Bharara tweeted that he was fired because he did not resign at Attorney General Jeff Sessions’s request.

I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.

— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 11, 2017

Former President Barack Obama originally appointed Bharara to the high-profile post. It is not usual for a new administration to replace the U.S. attorneys of the preceding administration in a new term. It is, however, a surprise that Bharara was fired after reportedly being asked to stay.