It has been reported that a federal judge rejected an attempt by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to block a congressional subpoena of a former prosecutor who had worked on an investigation into former President Donald Trump. This move is seen as a significant setback for Bragg and his office, who have been aggressively pursued by the House Judiciary Committee and its Republican chairman, Rep. Jim Jordan, in the wake of Trump’s indictment in Manhattan.
Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, who presided over the case, ruled that she had no standing to block the subpoena, stating that the House Judiciary Committee had legitimate legislative purposes for its inquiry. The committee claims that it is conducting its investigation in support of possible legislation that would “insulate current and former Presidents from such politically motivated state and local prosecutions.”
Bragg, a Democrat, has accused Jordan of pursuing the subpoena to score political points while supporting Trump, a Republican. The sole question before the Court at this time is whether Bragg has a legal basis to quash a congressional subpoena that was issued with a valid legislative purpose. Judge Vyskocil’s decision on Wednesday stated clearly that he does not.
The judge also jabbed at Bragg for making the complaint political when the matter at hand is about the subpenoa power of the United States Congress:
“The first 35 pages of the Complaint have little to do with the subpoena at issue and are nothing short of a public relations tirade against former President and current presidential candidate Donald Trump. The same is true of the vast majority of the exhibits accompanying the Boutrous Declaration. Of note, the Complaint acknowledges that DANY used federal forfeiture funds in investigating President Trump and/or the Trump Organization… At heart, the Complaint simply includes two requests for declaratory and injunctive relief directed at the congressional inquiry. The reality is that, as framed, this action is merely a motion to quash a subpoena dressed up as a lawsuit.”
2/ LOL pic.twitter.com/EXaMpzVBmi
— Margot Cleveland (@ProfMJCleveland) April 19, 2023
If this is how Bragg handles a simple subpoena, we can only imagine the clown show that is going to take place if the case against Trump ever goes to trial.
