On Tuesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed suit against House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan seeking to halt the committee’s inquiry into his office’s investigation and indictment of former President Donald Trump, arguing that the committee is waging a campaign of attack and intimidation, The Associated Press reported.
Bragg is asking US District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil to invalidate any subpoenas Jordan has issued or plans to issue in the committee’s probe.
Judge Vyskocil declined to take immediate action in the suit, scheduling an initial hearing in Manhattan on April 19, just one day before the committee is scheduled to question under subpoena the former top prosecutor involved in the Trump investigation.
In his suit, Bragg argues that Congress has no “legislative purpose” for engaging in a “free-ranging campaign of harassment” which he claims is “retaliation” for his prosecuting Trump. He said the Constitution does not give Congress the authority to “oversee, let alone disrupt,” ongoing criminal matters of state law.
In response to the suit, Congressman Jordan tweeted that the District Attorney’s Office first indicted a former president “for no crime” and now is suing “to block congressional oversight” when the committee asked about the federal funds used to indict Trump.
Former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, who refused to cooperate with the Judiciary Committee, was recently subpoenaed to testify on April 20. Pomerantz previously oversaw the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office investigation into Trump and reportedly sparred with Bragg over the probe’s direction before leaving last year.
The committee also sought documents and testimony from the District Attorney’s Office. However, Bragg rejected its requests.
The Judiciary Committee will be holding a hearing in Manhattan on Monday to discuss New York City’s rising crime and Bragg’s “pro-crime, anti-victim” policies.
Bragg blasted the committee for coming to Manhattan, suggesting that if Chairman Jordan “cared about public safety,” he would visit the cities in his home state where crime is allegedly higher than it is in New York City.
