House Republicans: Manhattan DA's Trump Prosecution "Political Vendetta

A House Judiciary Committee report accuses the Manhattan District Attorney's Office of allowing "political motivations and animus" to influence its decision to charge former President Trump, arguing that the charges were brought with a "dangerously low threshold" to prosecute "political opponents."

<img src="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/04/348/196/trump-bragg-recent.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1" alt="House Republicans: Manhattan DA's Trump Prosecution "Political Vendetta" width="100%" height="100%">

The House Judiciary Committee, led by Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), has released a 300-page report alleging that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office under Alvin Bragg engaged in a "political vendetta" against former President Donald Trump by pursuing charges based on a "dangerously low threshold."

The report, titled "An Anatomy of a Political Prosecution: The Manhattan District Attorney's Office Vendetta Against President Donald J. Trump," accuses the DA's office of ignoring a decision by federal prosecutors not to pursue similar charges in 2019 and instead using a novel legal theory to extend the statute of limitations.

Prosecutors in Trump's ongoing criminal trial have alleged that he attempted to conceal a conspiracy to promote his candidacy by falsifying business records. However, the report argues that these charges were politically motivated and lack evidence.

"The facts at the center of Bragg’s political prosecution have not changed since 2018," the report states. "The Justice Department examined the facts in 2019 and chose not to prosecute the case."

The report also highlights the involvement of Mark Pomerantz, a former Manhattan prosecutor who left the office after Bragg took over but later testified before the committee. Pomerantz, who previously worked on the Trump investigation under Bragg's predecessor, had raised doubts about pursuing a case against the former president.

According to the report, Pomerantz's book about the investigation revealed his "animus, both personally and politically against Trump." Despite acknowledging that he was "not a fan" of Trump, Pomerantz denied that his personal views influenced the investigation.

Chairman Jordan accused Pomerantz of "leaving retirement to pursue a passion project of prosecuting President Trump." He claimed that Pomerantz's dissatisfaction with Bragg's decision not to prosecute led him to write a book that pressured Bragg into bringing charges.

The report also criticizes Bragg's policies as district attorney, arguing that they have contributed to rising crime rates in New York City. Bragg's decision to decriminalize certain offenses, including trespassing and prostitution, has been cited as a factor in the increase in violent crime.

Republicans on the committee warn that Bragg's prosecution of Trump sets a dangerous precedent for future politically motivated prosecutions of political opponents, including presidents.

"This case establishes a dangerously low threshold for these investigations and prosecutions to commence," the report states.

The report concludes by emphasizing that the mission of the prosecutor's office is to uphold the rule of law and ensure that justice is applied fairly and equally.

"Bragg’s politically motivated indictment of President Trump threatens to destroy this notion of blind justice," the report states.

Bragg's office has not yet responded to a request for comment on the report.