MIDTOWN — U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara agreed to stay on as head prosecutor of the Southern District after meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower Wednesday.
The president-elect has been meeting with potential cabinet members and local officials, and Trump's team reached out to Bharara's office several days ago to set up a meeting, sources said.
"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, asked to meet with me to discuss whether or not I'd be prepared to stay on as the United States attorney to do the work as we have done it, independently, without fear or favor for the last seven years," Bharara told reporters at Trump Tower after the meeting, according to a pool report.
"I said I would absolutely consider staying on. I agreed to stay on."
The move was hailed by officials on both sides of the aisle — including U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who formerly worked with Preet as his chief counsel.
“President-elect Trump called me last week and asked me what I thought about Preet Bharara continuing his role as U.S. Attorney," Schumer said in a statement Wednesday.
"I told him I thought Preet was great, and I would be all for keeping him on the job and fully support it. 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.”
Observers had wondered whether Bharara's current investigations into corruption allegations — including ones into Mayor Bill de Blasio's office, as well as in Albany and within the NYPD — would continue under Trump's administration.
Look who is at Trump Tower to meet w/Pres-elect Trump: US Attorney @PreetBharara arrives to talk what is next step for him v @NYTnickc pic.twitter.com/rIdDWmtv4w
— ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint) November 30, 2016
