A federal prosecutor who has overseen investigations involving individuals close to President Donald Trump was named U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday.
Audrey Strauss, who has served as acting U.S. attorney for the SDNY since the summer, will officially become U.S. attorney on Jan. 16 and stay in that role until a Biden nominee is approved by the Senate.
Before taking over as head of the office, Strauss was a deputy U.S. attorney and closely oversaw a number of sensitive investigations involving those close to Trump, including Rudy Giuliani and Steve Bannon.
Strauss became acting U.S. attorney when Attorney General William Barr asked Geoffrey Berman to step down as U.S. attorney in June. Her term as acting U.S attorney is set to expire on Jan. 15.
On Tuesday, the federal judges of the SDNY court unanimously appointed Strauss to become U.S. attorney effective the following day, Jan. 16.
“I am deeply grateful for the Court’s support and the opportunity to continue serving the people of New York and this country," Strauss said in a statement. "It is the privilege of a lifetime to lead the women and men of this District as they pursue justice without fear or favor and write the latest chapter in this Office’s proud legacy.”
The investigations into Giuliani and Bannon remain ongoing, and may soon be ramping up. Prosecutors for SDNY have been in communication with Justice Department officials in Washington about gaining access to Giuliani's emails, NBC News reported Monday.
