House Judiciary Expands Investigation Into Manhattan DA
The House Judiciary Committee is expanding its investigation into the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office over last week’s unprecedented indictment of former President Donald Trump.
On Friday, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, sent a letter to Manhattan DA Senior Counsel Matthew Colangelo, shared with The Federalist, requesting a transcribed interview. According to the New York Times in December, Colangelo was hired four months ago to “jump start” Bragg’s Trump investigations after years spent going after the former president at both the Department of Justice and the New York attorney general’s office.
“Given your history of working for law-enforcement entities that are pursuing President Trump and the public reporting surrounding your decision to work for the New York County District Attorney’s Office, we request your cooperation with our oversight in your personal capacity,” Jordan wrote.
Trump pled not guilty at the historic arraignment Tuesday against a 34-count felony indictment carrying a maximum 136-year prison sentence. The charges stem from 2016 hush-money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels in a case prosecutors previously declined to pursue. The weak nature of the case has led a dozen liberal law professors and Trump antagonists to call the prosecution a dead end.
The House Judiciary chairman reminded Colangelo of Congress’s authority to probe the Manhattan DA’s office after Bragg has spent weeks resisting lawmakers’ oversight requests. Fox News reported Wednesday the back and forth has led the Committee to consider issuing formal subpoenas for Bragg’s office. On Thursday, lawmakers pulled the trigger on a subpoena for Mark Pomerantz, a former prosecutor under Bragg who resigned last year over slow progress on efforts to arrest Trump.
Jordan revealed on Fox News Monday that Bragg conceded to lawmakers his office used federal funds in the Manhattan DA’s Trump investigation.
“The Committee may therefore consider legislation to enhance reporting requirements concerning the use of federal forfeiture funds and/or to prohibit the use of federal forfeiture funds to investigate a current or former President or presidential candidate,” Jordan wrote in the letter to Colangelo.
The committee is demanding Colangelo hand over documents related to his hiring and sit down for a formal interview. Colangelo was given until April 21 to provide lawmakers with a schedule of availability.
While the Manhattan DA’s office braces for aggressive oversight from House Republicans, members of Bragg’s staff deleted online profiles. The “Meet Our Team” page was also scrubbed from Bragg’s website.
Trump’s indictment last week drew immediate condemnation from House Republicans and the former president’s rivals in the 2024 primary but has been met with silence by Senate GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
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