House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan scored a brief legal win against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Wednesday night after a federal judge denied Bragg's request for a restraining order to block a congressional subpoena.
"The request by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. for a temporary restraining order, enjoining enforcement of the subpoena issued to Mark F. Pomerantz by the Committee on the Judiciary of the United States House of Representatives, chaired by Congressman Jim Jordan, is DENIED. The subpoena was issued with a 'valid legislative purpose' in connection with the 'broad' and 'indispensable' congressional power to 'conduct investigations,'" United States District Court Judge Mary Vyskocil wrote in a ruling. "It is not the role of the federal judiciary to dictate what legislation Congress may consider or how it should conduct its deliberations in that connection. Mr. Pomerantz must appear for the congressional deposition. No one is above the law."
...Pomerantz was the former prosecutor who resigned in protest and then wrote a book on prosecuting Trump despite the ongoing investigation. I have criticized him for abandoning what some of us view as core professional and ethical values. https://t.co/LrdCVrYuHc
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 20, 2023
Bragg had sought to block testimony from Pomerantz, who resigned from the office earlier this year after pursing a criminal indictment against President Donald Trump.
On Thursday morning, a Second Circuit Judge issued a stay on behalf of Bragg and Pomerantz, delaying his testimony and requirement to comply with the subpoena.
Breaking news:
— Jose Pagliery (@Jose_Pagliery) April 20, 2023
Federal judge intervenes so that former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz won't have to testify before the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee this morning.
Appellate court could take it up this weekend. pic.twitter.com/Qgx2bz7NLG
Earlier this month, Chairman Jordan also requested testimony and documents from Senior Counsel to New York County District Attorney's Office Matthew Colangelo, who is still working in the office.
"The Committee on the Judiciary is conducting oversight of the New York County District Attorney's unprecedented indictment of a former President of the United States and current declared candidate for that office. According to news reports, District Attorney Alvin Bragg hired you in December 2022 to 'jump-start' his office's investigation of President Trump, reportedly due to your 'history of taking on Donald J. Trump and his family business,'" Jordan wrote in a letter to Colangelo. "You had previously served in senior positions in the U.S. Department of Justice and the New York Attorney General's Office, both of which had competing investigations related to President Trump. Given your history of working for law-enforcement entities that are pursuing President Trump and the public reporting surrounding your decision to work for the New York County District Attorney's Office, we request your cooperation with our oversight in your personal capacity."
"Pomerantz left the Office—very publicly—because its investigation into President Trump was not proceeding fast enough for his liking. His public resignation reportedly left District Attorney Bragg 'deeply stung,' and caused him to issue an 'unusual' public statement 'emphasizing that the investigation into Trump and his business was far from over,'" the letter continues. "The circumstances and chain of events that led to your hiring by the New York County District Attorney's Office could therefore shed substantial light on the underlying motives for that Office's investigation into and indictment of President Trump."
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