In book, ex-US prosecutor from NY derides Trump-era meddling

NEW YORK (AP) — In a new book, the man who was U.S. attorney in Manhattan during over half of Donald Trump’s presidency says he was repeatedly pressured by Justice Department officials to use his office to aid them politically. The assertion was described by The New York Times in an article published Thursday based on an early copy of Geoffrey S. Berman’s book, “Holding the Line.” In one revelation, Berman reveals that Justice Department officials sought an investigation of former Secretary of State John Kerry after Trump tweeted that Kerry’s reported contacts with Iran as a private citizen might be illegal. After a year-long probe, Berman’s office declined to prosecute.