Manhattan DA Bragg responds to House GOP doc request, says Trump 'created a false expectation' of arrest
NEW YORK - Manhattan District Attorney (DA) Alvin Bragg responded to several leading House Republicans’ requests for information on the probe into former President Trump, saying the former president "created a false expectation" of his potential arrest.
Bragg’s general counsel sent a five-page letter to GOP House committee chairmen Jim Jordan of Ohio, Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, and James Comer of Kentucky regarding their request for documents and testimony in the Trump investigation.
Bragg's office is investigating whether Trump was involved in paying hush money to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. The DA’s office informed the court that the grand jury, who potentially could deliver an indictment, would convene again at 12 p.m. Thursday, a source with the court told Fox News. It was not clear if the grand jury would hear another witness or vote on a possible indictment Thursday.
The district attorney’s office said the investigation "is one of thousands conducted" by the office in its history and that Bragg "stands by his pledge" to release the conclusion of the investigation publicly.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg leaves his office as the grand jury continues to hear evidence against former President Donald Trump on March 22, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
"Your letter dated March 20, 2023 (the ‘Letter’), in contrast, is an unprecedented inquiry into a pending local prosecution," Bragg’s office wrote.
"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," the letter accused. "Neither fact is a legitimate basis for congressional inquiry."
Bragg’s office also called the lawmakers’ requests "an unlawful incursion into New York’s sovereignty" as well as argued that "federal funding is an insufficient basis to justify these unconstitutional requests."
"The Letter indicates that its requests may be related to a review of federal public safety funds," Bragg’s office wrote. "But the Letter does not suggest any way in which either the District Attorney’s testimony about his prosecutorial decisions or the documents and communications of former Assistant District Attorneys on a pending criminal investigation would shed light on that review."
"Nonetheless, to assist Congress in understanding the ways in which the DA’s Office has used federal funds, we are preparing and will submit a letter describing its use of federal funds," the office continued.
Bragg's letter comes as Jordan sent letters Wednesday to two former Manhattan DA office attorneys seeking information that could support a claim Bragg’s prosecution of Trump is politically motivated.
The attorneys, Mark Pomerantz and Carey Dunne sought to prosecute Trump in 2022, but Bragg rejected their legal theories. They then resigned.
Since then, Trump announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election and Bragg has changed his decision on prosecuting him.
Jordan has contended Bragg’s sudden change of heart was tied to the announcement and has criticized what he describes as an "unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority."
"This indictment comes after years of the District Attorney’s office aggressively pursuing charges, with you and other special prosecutors leading the investigation into every facet of President Trump’s finances. Last year, you resigned from the office over Bragg’s initial reluctance to move forward with charges in 2022, Bragg is now attempting to ‘shoehorn’ the same case with identical facts into a new prosecution," Jordan wrote.
He added: "Based on your unique role in this matter, we request your cooperation with our oversight of this politically motivated prosecutorial decision."
In the letters, Jordan requests all documents and communication between the Manhattan DA's office and the Department of Justice regarding the Trump investigation. He also requests all such documents and communications between the Manhattan DA's office and attorneys Mark Pomerantz and Carey Dunne.
A Trump arrest would be the first time a former president has been arrested in American history.
Only one other American president has been arrested: Ulysses S. Grant in 1872 for speeding in his horse-drawn carriage.
LINK: GET UPDATES ON THIS STORY FROM FOXNEWS.COM
Fox News Digital's Lawrence Richard contributed reporting.