Former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz complied with Jim Jordan’s subpoena in the Alvin Bragg investigation but gave Republicans no information.
Pomerantz ripped the investigation in his opening statement:
Mark Pomerantz opening statement to House Judiciary Committee. He calls the committee’s subpoena to him “political theater” and explains that he is taking the 5th now that formal charges are pending against Trump pic.twitter.com/S8EeY6cr1u
— Annie Grayer (@AnnieGrayerCNN) May 12, 2023
Pomerantz called Jordan’s investigation cynical histrionics, and said that he is not legally required to play a role in the House Republican political theater. Pomerantz also said that he was asked by DA Alvin Bragg not discuss information about the Trump case, which meant that Republicans had nothing. Pomerantz said that the Trump case is privileged information, and he responded to questions by invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) was one of the Judiciary Committee House Republicans who was outraged:
.@repdarrellissa on former New York District Attorney Mark Pomerantz’s deposition before the House Judiciary Committee: “I’ve never had a more obstructive and less cooperative witness in my over 20 years in Congress.” pic.twitter.com/Z8o0Fi1hFR
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 12, 2023
Rep. Issa said, “The witness has not cooperated in any way, shape, or form, has simply appeared and I would characterize as taking the fifth on every single question. He has answered no substantive questions whatsoever.”
Issa added, “I’ve never had a more obstructive and less cooperative witness in my over 20 years in Congress.”
CNN’s Paula Reid described Jim Jordan’s response:
CNN’s Paula Reid described Rep. Jim Jordan’s response to getting stonewalled by Mark Pomerantz as, “Jim Jordan came out and asked what they were going to do next and he said I’m going to consult with other members, I’m going to talk to lawyers. It was pretty restrained for him. ” pic.twitter.com/wukzCEhE4M
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) May 12, 2023
Reid said, “Jim Jordan came out and asked what they were going to do next and he said I’m going to consult with other members, I’m going to talk to lawyers. It was pretty restrained for him.”
It turns out that Jim Jordan and House Republicans don’t have the legal authority to meddle in a local criminal investigation. Jordan is trying to investigate DA Bragg to help Donald Trump who is currently faces 34 counts of falsification of business records.
Mark Pomerantz did his legal duty and nothing more.
Jim Jordan’s muted reply said it all. House Republicans can seethe, but there is nothing that they can do to get answers from anyone in Manhattan about the criminal investigation into Trump.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
This story originally appeared on Politicususa
