Republicans pushing for Stefanik to join field hearing on New York crime
Cami Mondeaux
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Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee are pushing to waive Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) onto the panel for its field hearing next week focused on violent crime in New York City, a source familiar confirmed to the Washington Examiner.
Although the hearing is taking place hours from Stefanik’s district, GOP lawmakers argued she should join the committee hearing because it is taking place in her home state. However, Republicans are also lobbying for her involvement because of her work on the House Intelligence Committee during former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment in 2019, as well as her ability to ask “good questions.”
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“Elise has proven to be one of the most effective members of Congress when it comes to his high-stake congressional hearings and investigations,” a senior House GOP aide told the Washington Examiner. “Her work defending President Trump from the first impeachment is proof of this. So it’s no surprise Judiciary Republicans want to tap her for this crime hearing in New York.”
The move comes after Democrats similarly attempted to waive Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) onto the panel, arguing he should be present because it’s taking place in his district. It’s not particularly unusual for noncommittee members to join in on committee hearings, so it’s possible both Goldman and Stefanik will be approved for participation ahead of Monday’s meeting.
Republicans announced the hearing last week as a way to undercut the work of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, hoping to erode his credibility as he prosecutes Trump on a number of criminal charges. Democrats on the committee have previously skipped GOP-led field hearings as a way of protest, but several members now plan to attend and hold a counterresponse.
The field hearing is the latest retaliation from House Republicans against Bragg’s indictment of Trump after the latter was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records earlier this month. Republicans have decried the charges as being politically motivated, vowing to investigate Bragg and his office.
Republicans on the Judiciary Committee subpoenaed former New York County District Attorney Mark Pomerantz to appear before the panel and testify about his previous involvement in the Trump investigation. Pomerantz led the inquiry before resigning last year over Bragg’s initial reluctance to move forward with the case.
Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) accused Pomerantz of resigning as an act of protest to pressure Bragg to reopen the case. The subpoena came two weeks after Jordan requested that Pomerantz and former Manhattan Special Assistant District Attorney Carey Dunne testify before the Judiciary Committee, which the former attorney declined.
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Jordan has also repeatedly pressed Bragg to testify and provide the committee with documents related to his investigation, all of which the district attorney has rejected as overreach. Bragg filed a lawsuit against Jordan on Tuesday, accusing the committee chairman of interfering with a local investigation.
The district attorney claimed he has received several death threats because of Republicans’ attacks, accusing Jordan of orchestrating a “transparent campaign to intimidate and attack” him.