House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer are blasting reports President Donald Trump may be subject to a gag order after being arranged on at least 30 charges in New York City Tuesday.
"We are deeply concerned by reports the New York District Attorney may seek an unconstitutional gag order. To put any restrictions on the ability of President Trump to discuss his mistreatment at the hands of this politically motivated prosecutor would only further demonstrate the weaponization of the New York justice system," Jordan and Comer released in a statement. "To even contemplate stifling the speech of the former commander in chief and current candidate for President is at odds with everything America stands for."
After Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg officially announced the indictment of Trump late last week, Jordan and Comer issued demands he testify on Capitol Hill about the politically motivated investigation. They're also vowing to pull federal funding used by the office.
"Your decision to pursue such a politically motivated prosecution—while adopting progressive criminal justice policies that allow career 'criminals [to] run the streets' of Manhattan—requires congressional scrutiny about how public safety funds appropriated by Congress are implemented by local law-enforcement agencies. In addition, your apparent decision to pursue criminal charges where federal authorities declined to do so requires oversight to inform potential legislative reforms about the delineation of prosecutorial authority between federal and local officials," they wrote in a letter to Bragg. "Finally, because the circumstances of this matter stem, in part, from Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation, Congress may consider legislative reforms to the authorities of special counsels and their relationships with other prosecuting entities."
Bragg is refusing to do so.
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