NEW YORK (Reuters) – Republican U.S. Representative Jim Jordan on Monday urged a court to let his probe into the criminal prosecution of former U.S. President Donald Trump proceed, arguing its subpoena of an ex-prosecutor was needed as part of a possible review of legislation.
The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, which brought the charges against Trump, last week sued Jordan to try to block a subpoena of Mark Pomerantz – who once led the office’s Trump investigation – by the Republican-led House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, which Jordan chairs.
Bragg called the subpoena part of a “campaign of intimidation” by Trump’s congressional allies in response to the first-ever criminal charges against a U.S. president. Trump is seeking the Republican nomination for the presidency in 2024.
In his response on Monday, Jordan said his subpoena of Pomerantz was covered by a constitutional protection for “speech or debate” in Congress, as well as by Congress’ right to seek information to help it weigh reforms to the law.
Jordan has said Bragg’s charges against Trump demonstrated the need to evaluate Congress’ provision of federal funds to local prosecutors. Bragg has accused Republican congressmen of trying to impede New York’s “sovereign authority” and interfere in an ongoing criminal case.
U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil is set to hold a hearing in the case on Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan.
(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; editing by John Stonestreet)
