US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman speaks during a press conference in New York City on October 10, 2019.

The head of the US Justice Department said Friday it was replacing the chief federal prosecutor in New York City whose office has been investigating Rudolph Giuliani, the personal lawyer of President Donald Trump.

US Attorney General William Barr said in a press release on Friday evening that Trump intends to nominate Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton to replace Geoffrey Berman, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan.

However, Berman insisted he had no intention of quitting and his ongoing investigations would continue.

I have not resigned, and have no intention of resigning, Berman wrote. I will step down when a presidentially appointed nominee is confirmed by the Senate. Until then, our investigations will move forward without interruption.

Berman oversaw the prosecution of former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and launched a probe into Giuliani in connection with his involvement in the Ukraine scandal, which became the subject of an impeachment inquiry into the president.

Berman served on Trump’s presidential transition team. He had replaced Preet Bharara, who was himself fired soon after Trump became president. Bharara said the timing and manner of the move to replace Berman was strange.

Why does a president get rid of his own hand-picked US Attorney in SDNY on a Friday night, less than 5 months before the election? Bharara wrote on Twitter.

SOURCE: PRESS TV