Ex-U.S. Attorney In Atlanta Says Trump Wanted To Fire Him

Byung J. Pak, a former US attorney in Atlanta, told congressional investigators that his abrupt resignation in January had been prompted by Justice Department officials’ warning that President Donald J. Trump intended to fire him for refusing to say that widespread voter fraud had been found in Georgia, according to a person familiar with his testimony.

Photo Insert: Attorney Byung J. Pak

Pak, who provided more than three hours of closed-door testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee, stepped down with no notice on Jan. 4, saying that he had done his best “to be thoughtful and consistent, and to provide justice for my fellow citizens in a fair, effective and efficient manner,” Katie Benner reported for the New York Times.

While he did not discuss Mr. Trump’s role in his decision to resign at the time, he told the Senate panel that the president had been dismayed that Pak had investigated allegations of voter fraud in Fulton County, Ga., and not found evidence to support them, according to the person familiar with the statements.

Pak testified that top department officials had made clear that Trump intended to fire him over his refusal to say that the results in Georgia had been undermined by voter fraud, the person said.

Resigning would pre-empt a public dismissal. He also described work done by state officials and the FBI. to vet Mr. Trump’s claims of voter fraud, and said they had not found evidence to support those allegations.

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