Preet Bharara To Join NYU Law

GREENWICH VILLAGE, NY — Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara will join New York University's law school as a distinguished scholar in residence in April, the school announced on Tuesday.

Bharara was fired earlier in March from his post as the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, which covers Manhattan. He was one of 46 U.S. attorneys that were appointed during the Obama administration and abruptly asked to resign earlier this month by President Donald Trump's administration. Federal prosecutors are sometimes during an administration change, particularly when a new political party is in power. Bharara refused to resign and was fired the next day. His departure was unusual in part because the prosecutor had previously met with Trump and told the press that the then-president-elect had asked him to remain in his position.

Bharara will join NYU on April 1, the school said. Since he was fired, speculation about the popular and press-friendly Bharara has run rampant, with many political observers wagering that Bharara would run for political office.

"I am honored to join the NYU School of Law, one of the great educational institutions in America, and I welcome the chance to contribute in such a thoughtful setting. I am thrilled for this opportunity to continue addressing the issues I so deeply care about—criminal and social justice, honest government, national security, civil rights, and corporate accountability, to name a few," Bharara said in a statement.

Deputy U.S. attorney Joon Kim is serving as acting U.S. attorney for the office until a replacement is named.

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This post has been updated with additional information.

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