AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, the House Judiciary Committee, and a special prosecutor who previously worked for Bragg's office.
In the 50-page lawsuit, Bragg accused Jordan of launching an "unprecedentedly brazen and unconstitutional attack" on the DA's office while it's in the middle of an ongoing investigation and criminal prosecution against former President Donald Trump.
Bragg is seeking to block GOP subpoenas related to his investigation, as well as a subpoena to a former prosecutor, Mark Pomerantz, who resigned last year following Bragg's decision not to bring a separate criminal case against Trump over his business practices.
Tuesday's lawsuit accused Jordan of carrying out a "transparent campaign to intimidate and attack District Attorney Bragg, making demands for confidential documents and testimony from the District Attorney himself as well as his current and former employees and officials."
He was referring to a March 20 letter from Jordan and GOP Reps. James Comer and Bryan Steil — prominent Trump allies and the three chairmen of the powerful House Judiciary, Oversight, and Administration committees, respectively — for documents and testimony from the Manhattan DA. Their letter called Bragg's investigation "an unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority."
"In light of the serious consequences of your actions, we expect that you will testify about what plainly appears to be a politically motivated prosecutorial decision," the lawmakers said in the letter.
Insider reached out to spokespeople for Jordan and Pomerantz for comment.
"Chairman Jordan's subpoena is an unconstitutional attempt to undermine an ongoing New York felony criminal prosecution and investigation," the DA's office said in a statement. "As our complaint details, this is an unprecedented, illegitimate interference by Congress that lacks any legal merit and defies basic principles of federalism. The Manhattan D.A.'s Office focuses on the law and the evidence, not political gamesmanship or threats. We look forward to presenting our case in court to enjoin enforcement of the subpoena."
The DA argued in Tuesday's lawsuit that Congress does not have the power to infringe on state criminal prosecutions. "Nor does Congress have the power to serve subpoenas 'for the personal aggrandizement of the investigators or to punish those investigated,'" the suit said.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.