Trump considering Giuliani law partner for US attorney in New York: report

President Trump is reportedly considering one of Rudy Giuliani’s law partners to fill the vacant U.S. attorney position in Manhattan, according to BuzzFeed News. 

Geoffrey Berman, a lawyer who works in both New Jersey and New York at the firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, was reportedly included in a list of candidates for several vacancies in New York, pitched to the state’s two Democratic senators, sources told BuzzFeed.

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Berman has previously worked in the Justice Department as assistant United States attorney in the southern district of New York from 1990 to 1994, according to his law firm biography. Giuliani began working at Berman’s firm in January 2016 when he became the global chairman for their cybersecurity and crisis management group.

The Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office office has been without its top prosecutor since Trump fired former U.S. attorney Preet Bharara in March for refusing to resign when asked by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. It is one of the most influential federal prosecutor posts in the country.

Bharara has gone on to become a vocal critic of the president.

One source told the news outlet that the list of potential nominees was meant to work toward a compromise with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

The two Democratic New York senators could slow down or even halt Trump’s nominee in the Senate.

Senators can hold up federal judicial nominees within their state through the so-called blue slip process. Senators issue opinions on nominees from their state on a blue piece of paper. Withholding a blue-slip or returning a negative blue-slip can influence whether the Senate Judiciary Committee recommends confirmation.

Trump may also be seeking to avoid a public fight with Schumer over Bharara’s replacement. After Bharara’s firing in March, Schumer lauded him in a statement.

“His relentless drive to root out public corruption, lock up terrorists, take on Wall Street, and stand up for what is right should serve as a model for all U.S. attorneys across the country,” Schumer said. “He will be sorely missed.”