Manhattan District Attorney's Office refuses request to turn over Trump investigation documents to Congress, accuses GOP of meddling
It invites Republican congressmen to go to the New York courts or the Supreme Court if they believe this is a "political accusation" and "unfounded."
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office, has refused to provide documentation on the investigation of Donald Trump over the Stormy Daniels case that the chairmen of several House committees have requested. In a letter sent to Congress, Manhattan D.A. and General Counsel Leslie Dubeck, accused Republican lawmakers of meddling with "an unprecedented investigation into a pending local prosecution" by demanding information that has not yet been made public and whose disclosure is deemed a felony.
The missive is highly critical of the Conservatives' request, who also subpoenaed Bragg to testify. The prosecutor, using Dubeck as a spokesperson, has emphasized that Congress has no power to meddle in local justice matters, but that this is the province of the courts and states, "in accordance with the Tenth Amendment."
Criticism of 'false expectation' of Trump's arrest
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, it all stems from Donald Trump's statements last Saturday denouncing that he would be arrested on Tuesday by Bragg, and calling on his supporters to "take back America." " 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, neither fact is a legitimate basis for congressional inquiry," it reads.
On this matter, the Prosecutor's Office assures that, in the event that the GOP representatives consider that the accusation against the former president has "political purposes" and is "unfounded," they should file a complaint "in the New York courts" or go to the Supreme Court.
Disclosure of confidential information, "a serious crime."
In the brief, Dubeck reminds Republicans that "In New York, the District Attorney is a constitutional officer charged with 'the responsibility to conduct all prosecutions for crimes and offenses cognizable by the courts of the county in which he serves.' These are quintessential police powers belonging to the State, and your letter treads into territory very clearly reserved to the states." It further suggests that the congressional investigation is being "conducted solely for the personal aggrandizement of the investigators or to 'punish' those being investigated," and is therefore "indefensible."
The prosecution stresses that the conservators requested "non-public information about a pending criminal investigation, which is confidential under state law. Prosecutor's disclosure of grand jury evidence is a felony unless 'in the proper discharge of his official duties or upon written order of the court.'" It further adds that "witness statements to the District Attorney's Office protected by the public interest privilege, shielding materials compiled for law enforcement purposes from public disclosure where disclosure would interfere with law enforcement investigations or disclose confidential information relating to a criminal investigation."
In addition, Bragg stated that, "consistent with these constitutional obligations, the Office of the Attorney General is aware of the DOJ's 'customary' policy of not providing Congress with non-public information about investigations."
GOP responds: "Make Manhattan safe again."
From their Twitter account, GOP members of the Judiciary Committee responded to this refusal by reminding Bragg of the rise in crime in his district and calling for more involvement to "make Manhattan safe again."
Daniels delivers recordings "that will hurt
Although there was speculation that the grand jury would convene on Thursday, the session was ultimately cancelled and postponed to next week. Prosecutors threatened to present a new key witness, but no statement was taken from anyone throughout the day.
In addition, former porn actress Stormy Daniels, who accuses Trump of paying her $130,000 for her silence about an alleged affair between the two, announced on Twitter that she has made available to her lawyer recordings that in her own words say, "they're gonna hurt!" and could prove decisive in the case.