Former United States Attorney Preet Bharara took the stage at Cooper Union Thursday night, marking his first public speech since he was fired by the Trump administration — along with 45 other US — attorneys nearly a month ago. The ticketed event was announced in February but sold out the weekend of Bharara’s firing. Those expecting a taste of Bharara's bravado were not disappointed. He opened with series of jokes about crowd size, a reference to President Trump’s often disputed account of the turnout at his inauguration compared to President Obama’s. He spoke gratefully and graciously about the work he did with colleagues in the Southern District Office, thanking many individuals by name. Then, he delivered a pointed message about holding leaders accountable, taking a swipe at New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's ill-fated Moreland Commission. “When a public corruption commission gets abruptly shut down for nonsensical reasons, you're allowed to be angry about that and you're allowed to call B-S when you see it, Bharara said to applause. The former federal prosecutor insisted he has no plans to run for office, “just like I have no plans to join the circus, Bharara said adding, “and I mean no offense to the circus. But Bharara is also not biting his tongue. He referred to the Trump administration as "neophyte opportunists." “You don't drain a swamp with a slogan, said Bharara. “To drain a swamp, you need an army corps of engineers, experts schooled in service and serious purpose, not do-nothing, say-anything, neophyte opportunists who know a lot about how to bully and bluster but not so much about truth, justice and fairness, he said. Bharara’s solution? “Active citizenship is desperately needed now more than ever, he said, “individually and collectively.