On Friday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg and House Republicans reached an agreement that will allow the Judiciary Committee to question former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz about Bragg’s case against former President Trump. This comes after a federal court had ruled to block Pomerantz’s deposition the day before.
As per the agreement, the Judiciary Committee will be able to question Pomerantz under oath at a later date than originally scheduled. However, he will be accompanied by a lawyer from Bragg’s office during the questioning, which the committee had already agreed to even without Friday’s deal.
The agreement puts an end to the legal battle between Bragg and the committee that had escalated to a federal appeals court in the weeks following Trump’s indictment. Bragg’s office said the deal protects the district attorney’s “privileges and interests” in his ongoing prosecution.
“Our successful stay of this subpoena blocked the immediate deposition and afforded us the time necessary to coordinate with the House Judiciary Committee on an agreement that protects the District Attorney’s privileges and interests,” Bragg’s office said in a statement.
The case against Trump is ongoing, and this agreement allows Bragg to preserve his authority over the case. The agreement also enables the Judiciary Committee to continue its oversight role, which is crucial for ensuring accountability and transparency.
“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. We are gratified that the Second Circuit’s ruling provided us with the opportunity to successfully resolve this dispute.”
In March, the Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), issued a subpoena to former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, as part of an investigation into the use of federal funds in the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation of former President Trump.
Bragg’s office charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records shortly after Pomerantz left the office and wrote a tell-all book that included details about another probe into the former president that ultimately did not lead to charges against him.
Following Trump’s indictment, the Judiciary Committee argued that they had a right to investigate whether ex-presidents are being subjected to “politically motivated state investigations and prosecutions.”
Bragg vehemently opposed the committee’s attempts to question Pomerantz, contending that it was an improper overreach by Congress into a local criminal investigation. Last week, the DA filed a lawsuit against Jordan and the committee to block the subpoena, but a judge rejected his claim, stating that “no one is above the law.”
In light of the recent agreement, the Judiciary Committee will now be able to question Pomerantz about the investigation into Trump, albeit at a later date. This compromise allows for oversight by the committee while preserving Bragg’s authority over the ongoing case.
The agreement between Bragg and House Republicans “protects the District Attorney’s privileges and interests,” according to a statement from Bragg’s office. This resolution represents a step towards cooperation between the parties involved in this high-profile legal battle.
Bragg had appealed the ruling that blocked Pomerantz’s deposition, and on Thursday, he was granted a temporary suspension. However, he later withdrew the motion as part of his agreement with the Judiciary Committee.
Pomerantz is scheduled to testify under oath on May 12 about Bragg’s investigation into former President Trump, accompanied by a lawyer from the DA’s office. This testimony will provide crucial information for the Judiciary Committee’s investigation into the use of federal funds in the case against Trump.
