The 'sheriff of Wall Street' that Trump fired is an unexpected guest at the Comey hearing

Preet Bharara, the former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York who has become an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump since his abrupt firing in March, had a prime seat for former FBI Director James Comey's Senate hearing on Thursday.

Bharara had requested a seat at the hearing and attended as a guest of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Schumer's spokesman told Business Insider. His reserved seat was one row behind the table at which Comey was sitting.

Reporters in the room snapped pictures and video of Bharara entering the room. When asked whether Comey requested that he attend, Bharara told Mother Jones's David Corn, "I have great connections at StubHub."

Bharara had tweeted on Wednesday about Comey's upcoming hearing, after his prepared testimony was released on the Senate Intelligence Committee's website.

The remarks included descriptions of several one-on-one conversations Comey said he had with Trump, in which Trump allegedly asked Comey to pledge his loyalty, and to drop the investigation into Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser.

"Obstruction aside, it's NEVER ok for a POTUS privately to ask an FBI Director to drop a criminal investigation. Extraordinary, wrong & dumb," Bharara tweeted, after the remarks were released.

Bharara and Comey have worked together in the past, when Comey held the US Attorney position for the Southern District of New York.