Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg sues Rep. Jim Jordan over Trump indictment subpoenas

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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit against Rep. Jim Jordan, alleging that the Republican lawmaker is trying to wage a campaign of intimidation over his prosecution of former President Donald Trump. 

In his lawsuit, the Democratic D.A. said he's taking legal action "in response to an unprecedently brazen and unconstitutional attack by members of Congress on an ongoing New York State criminal prosecution and investigation of former President Donald J. Trump."

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, left, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, right.  (Associated Press)

Bragg is asking a judge to invalidate subpoenas that Jordan, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, has or plans to issue as part of an investigation of Bragg's handling of the Trump case.

"Chairman Jordan's subpoena is an unconstitutional attempt to undermine an ongoing New York felony criminal prosecution and investigation," Bragg said. "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 case is assigned to U.S. District Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee who previously served as a federal bankruptcy court judge.

In recent weeks, the Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena seeking testimony from a former prosecutor, Mark Pomerantz, who previously oversaw the Trump investigation. The committee has also sought documents and testimony about the case from Bragg and his office. Bragg has rejected those requests.

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Reached for comment, Jordan's office directed Fox News Digital to the Republican's Twitter post in which he accused Bragg of indicting Trump for "no crime." 

"Then, they sue to block congressional oversight when we ask questions about the federal funds they say they used to it," Jordan wrote. 

Trump was indicted late last month on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to bury allegations that he had extramarital sexual encounters. The 2024 presidential contender has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty at an arraignment in Manhattan last week. 

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The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing in Manhattan on Monday on crime in New York City and what it alleges are Bragg's "pro-crime, anti-victim" policies. The D.A.'s office, however, points to statistics showing that violent crime in Manhattan has dropped since Bragg took office in January 2022.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.