Alvin Bragg drops challenge to House GOP subpoena of former prosecutor

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg dropped his challenge to the subpoena of a former New York County prosecutor, offering House Republicans a win in their investigation of criminal charges against former President Donald Trump.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office on Friday withdrew its appeal of the subpoena, which sought testimony from former New York County prosecutor Mark Pomerantz regarding his involvement in Trump’s case. Bragg initially sued to block the subpoena, accusing House Republicans of interfering with a local investigation.

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The withdrawal comes one day after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit granted an administrative stay to block the subpoena until further notice. Bragg later dropped the appeal, noting the stay allowed his office to communicate with the House Judiciary Committee on how to carry out the deposition in a way that won’t interfere with the investigation.

“We are pleased with this resolution, which ensures any questioning of our former employee will take place in the presence of our General Counsel on a reasonable, agreed upon timeframe,” a Manhattan DA spokesperson said in a statement. “We are gratified that the Second Circuit’s ruling provided us with the opportunity to successfully resolve this dispute.”

Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) subpoenaed Pomerantz on April 6 due to his involvement in the investigation into Trump’s finances and his alleged hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. Pomerantz led that inquiry before resigning last year over Bragg’s initial reluctance to move forward with the case.

Pomerantz was originally called to be deposed earlier this week but is now scheduled to appear before the panel on May 12.

House Republicans praised the withdrawal, claiming it as a victory over Bragg.

“Bragg caved. Jim Jordan won,” the House Judiciary GOP said in a tweet.

Jordan issued the subpoena after requesting Pomerantz and former Manhattan Special Assistant District Attorney Carey Dunne testify before the Judiciary Committee voluntarily, which the former attorney declined. In addition to his testimony, Jordan is also seeking access to any documents related to Pomerantz’s work while in office.

The committee chairman is seeking Pomerantz’s testimony because he said he proves the charges against Trump are politically motivated. Jordan accused Pomerantz of resigning as an act of protest to pressure Bragg to reopen the case, which the chairman argued was politically motivated.

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Jordan also referenced a newly published book written by Pomerantz that details his decision to resign and why he believes Trump should be convicted. The Ohio Republican pressed Pomerantz to comply with his request to testify, noting he has “no basis to decline” because he has already been public about several details of the case.

The House Judiciary Committee opened an investigation into Trump’s indictment after the former president was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges were unsealed during a court appearance earlier this month and mark the first time a former president faces criminal charges.