Manhattan DA Bragg sues GOP House Judiciary chairman to prevent interference in Trump case

(CNN) Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is suing House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, over what the lawsuit filed Tuesday describes as a “transparent campaign to intimidate and attack” his workplace’s case in opposition to former President Donald Trump.

The go well with injects extra authorized drama into Bragg’s investigation of Trump, which has been dogged for weeks by accusations from Republicans that the prosecutor’s pursuit of the previous president was purely political, with the claims being central to Jordan’s personal probe.

Bragg is searching for to block a subpoena for testimony from Mark Pomerantz, a former senior prosecutor in his workplace, in addition to different calls for for “confidential documents and testimony from the district attorney himself as well as his current and former employees and officials.” The 50-page suit is asking a federal courtroom to give emergency and everlasting aid that might block enforcement of Jordan’s subpoena for Pomerantz to testify on April 20. Pomerantz instructed Jordan final month that, per directions from Bragg’s workplace, he doesn’t plan to cooperate with the subpoena.

US District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil denied Bragg’s request for emergency aid later Tuesday, although the courtroom might nonetheless block the subpoena by way of different types of aid. She additionally set a listening to on the matter for April 19.

“In sum, Congress lacks any valid legislative purpose to engage in a free-ranging campaign of harassment in retaliation for the District Attorney’s investigation and prosecution of Mr. Trump under the laws of New York,” the lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, states.

“That campaign is a direct threat to federalism and the sovereign interests of the State of New York. This Court should enjoin the subpoena and put an end to this constitutionally destructive fishing expedition.”

CNN has reached out to Jordan for touch upon the lawsuit.

The congressman criticized the lawsuit in a tweet on Tuesday, writing: “First, they indict a president for no crime. Then, they sue to block congressional oversight when we ask questions about the federal funds they say they used to do it.”

In the go well with, Bragg knocks Jordan’s assertion that $5,000 in federal funds used in relation to his workplace’s investigation into Trump that led to the indictment provides the committee grounds to examine.

Counsel for Bragg’s workplace beforehand stated it could adjust to a committee request for data on the usage of federal funds.

Bragg claims in the go well with that Trump, Jordan and different members of his committee “are participating in a campaign of intimidation, retaliation, and obstruction,” with the prosecutor saying {that a} slew of threats directed at him in latest weeks are being fueled by the lawmakers.

“Since Mr. Trump falsely predicted he would be arrested on March 18, 2023, in fact, the District Attorney’s Office has received more than 1,000 calls and emails from Mr. Trump’s supporters, many of which are threatening and racially charged,” the go well with states. “But rather than denounce efforts to vilify and denigrate the District Attorney and the grand jury process, House Republicans are participating in those efforts.”

Jordan subpoenaed Pomerantz late last week for his position investigating Trump and his enterprise empire — as House Republicans have sought to body the latest indictment in opposition to the previous president as politically motivated.

Pomerantz resigned from the Manhattan DA’s workplace in 2022 and stated in his resignation letter that the previous president was “guilty of numerous felony violations” in connection to his annual monetary statements. He resigned a day after Bragg knowledgeable him that he wasn’t ready at that time to transfer ahead with felony costs.

In saying the subpoena, the House committee stated, “Pomerantz’s public statements about the investigation strongly suggest that Bragg’s prosecution of President Trump is politically motivated.”

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges of falsifying enterprise information in Manhattan felony courtroom final week.

This story has been up to date with extra developments.

CNN’s Lauren del Valle contributed to this report.