Rep. Jordan Says Subpoena ‘On the Table’ for Manhattan DA After Trump Indictment

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has indicated that a subpoena may be used to compel Manhattan District Attorney (DA) Alvin Bragg to testify about his decision to prosecute former President Donald Trump. Last month, Jordan joined Reps. James Comer (R-Ky.) and Bryan Steil (R-Wisc.) in questioning Bragg’s case in a letter. The letter requested that Bragg turn over any communications his office had with the New York County District Attorney’s Office or the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) relating to his case against Trump, in addition to Bragg’s testimonial about the prosecution.

On March 30, Bragg’s office confirmed it was moving forward with a case against Trump. Leslie Dubeck, the general counsel for the Manhattan DA’s office, sent a response letter the following day, saying compliance with requests for documents and testimony “would interfere with law enforcement” and that Congressional review of a pending criminal investigation “usurps executive powers.”

In an interview with Fox News, Jordan stated that subpoenaing Bragg was “on the table,” adding that they were reviewing his response. Bragg’s office has yet to comment on the matter.

The indictment against the former president remains undisclosed. However, Bragg’s office had been investigating Trump on allegations of his involvement in a payment made in 2016 to adult actress Stormy Daniels to keep her from revealing her claim of an affair with Trump before the 2016 election.

Bragg’s office may argue that the payment was wrongly classified as a business expense by the Trump Organization and should have been considered a campaign expense in violation of Section 175 of New York law. The DOJ had previously declined to prosecute the 2016 payment as an election law violation.

Weaponization of Government Allegations

As chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Jordan has also connected Bragg’s case against Trump to the broader work of his committee to investigate alleged governmental targeting of political opponents.

Jordan has listed Bragg’s prosecution of Trump with the FBI’s efforts to pay the author of an anti-Trump dossier and Twitter harassment by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), among other allegations.

“This is about going after anyone who opposes the left’s agenda, the establishment’s agenda,” Jordan said.

Republicans Say Defunding ‘Politicized’ DAs

Jordan and other Republicans have suggested potential defunding of funding to local district attorneys that they believe use the law for political gain.