Trump
The House Republicans are increasing their demands that Alvin Bragg, Manhattan District Attorney, turn over a large number of documents and communications relating to the criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump.
Three Republican House committee chairs stated that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office did not provide sufficient reasons for refusing to cooperate with the lawmakers’ initial request in an eight-page letter.
On Monday, Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, asked for more than six years’ worth of communications from Mr. Bragg in relation to the investigation by the district attorney into allegations that Mr. Trump paid $130,000 hush money to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, before the 2016 election.
The letter was signed by James Comer, Kentucky Republican, and Bryan Steil, Wisconsin Republican, from the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.
Leslie Dubeck, general counsel in Mr. Bragg’s office, resisted the lawmakers’ request, calling the congressional probe “an unparalleled inquiry into a pending locale prosecution.”
“The Letter was only issued after Donald Trump created a false expectation of his arrest the next day, and his lawyers reportedly urged us to intervene,” she wrote to lawmakers. She wrote, “Neither fact is a valid basis for congressional inquiry.”
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On Saturday, the lawmakers responded to the district attorney’s argument by writing a letter in which they stated that the prosecution of the former President is not in the best interests of state and local interest.
According to the lawmakers, if politically motivated prosecutions of local officials became the norm, it would have a profound effect on how presidents exercise their power while in office.
“Furthermore your reported decision to indict an ex-President requires congressional scrutiny over how federal public safety dollars appropriated by Congress are implemented locally by law-enforcement agency and how resources are prioritized,” the letter stated.
Republicans believe that Mr. Bragg is using his office to politically target Mr. Trump who is currently the leading Republican presidential candidate in 2024.
“Notably, your response letter did not dispute central allegations at issue-that you, under pressure from left-wing activists, and former prosecutors in the office, are reportedly planning on using an alleged federal election finance violation, previously declined federal prosecutors, to extend the statute to limitations on an otherwise misdemeanor crime and indict for first time in American history a former President of United States,” the lawmakers wrote.
In anticipation of an impending indictment by a New York grand jury of Bragg, Republicans have intensified their scrutiny of Mr. Bragg.
According to reports, the grand jury is considering charges of falsifying records in order to hide hush money payments.
Trump denied the hush-money charges and claimed that he never had an affair Ms. Daniels. The majority of Democrats support Mr. Bragg’s efforts to prosecute Donald Trump.
The ex-president tweeted last week that his arrest and indictment would take place on Tuesday. He also called on his supporters “protest, protest and protest” to “take back our nation.”
He has not been indicted.
