Alvin Bragg says Trump created a ‘false expectation’ that he would be arrested
Rachel Schilke
Video Embed
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said House GOP lawmakers have no “legitimate basis” for inquiring into his investigation into former President Donald Trump, as they are basing their claims on the former president’s “false expectation” that he was going to be arrested on Tuesday.
“Your letter dated March 20, 2023 … is an unprecedented inquiry into a pending local prosecution. The letter only came after Donald Trump created a false expectation that he would be arrested the next day and his lawyers reportedly urged you to intervene,” Bragg wrote. “Neither fact is a legitimate basis for congressional inquiry.”
DONALD TRUMP INDICTMENT: WHAT TO LOOK FOR IF FORMER PRESIDENT IS ARRESTED
Bragg’s letter, addressed to Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Bryan Steil (R-WI), and James Comer (R-KY), refers to a request from Jordan and other lawmakers for Bragg to testify and provide documents and communications relating to the Manhattan grand jury’s investigation into hush money payments between Trump and porn star Stormy Daniels.
The district attorney said he would not be “intimidated” by Republican lawmakers seeking to “undermine the judicial process, nor will we let baseless accusations deter us from fairly applying the law.”
In the letter sent Thursday, Bragg requested a “meet and confer” to understand whether the committee has “any legitimate legislative purpose” in asking for the requested materials.
“We trust that you appreciate the importance of our federal system, state law enforcement activities, and the critical need to maintain the integrity and independence of state criminal law enforcement from federal interference,” Bragg wrote. “While the DA’s Office will not allow a Congressional investigation to impede the exercise of New York’s sovereign police power, this Office will always treat a fellow government entity with due respect.”
Several Republicans have blasted the investigation as a political vendetta against a former president. Jordan called the investigation an “unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority: the indictment of a former President of the United States and current declared candidate for that office.”
Bragg’s letter comes after the announcement that the grand jury will not be meeting on Thursday as expected to vote on an indictment of Trump. Instead, it will hear a different case.
Trump sent his supporters into a frenzy on Saturday after announcing on Truth Social that he was expected to be arrested on Tuesday, but it never happened. The jury was scheduled to meet on Wednesday, but Bragg told the jury to stay home and be on call for Thursday.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Bragg’s office is investigating whether Trump falsified business records to hide the hush money payments as legal expenses after his lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid $130,000 to Daniels to prevent her from going public with an alleged affair she had with Trump in 2005.
If an indictment is eventually delivered, it will be the first time criminal charges are brought against a former president in U.S. history.