House Republicans subpoena former prosecutor in Trump case

WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Thursday subpoenaed one of the former Manhattan prosecutors who had been leading a criminal investigation into Donald Trump before quitting last year in a clash over the direction of the probe.

Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, ordered Mark Pomerantz to testify before the committee by April 30. The subpoena, reviewed by The Associated Press, is the latest escalation by Republicans as they probe Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, days after Trump was charged in a 34-count felony indictment in connection with a hush-money scheme involving a porn actor.

Pomerantz refused to voluntarily cooperate with the committee’s request last month at the instruction of Bragg’s office, citing the ongoing investigation. The Manhattan D.A.’s office has accused Jordan’s committee of overstepping its legal authority and infringing on New York state sovereignty.

Jordan has now written in a letter to Pomerantz, “Based on your unique role as a special assistant district attorney leading the investigation into President Trump’s finances, you are uniquely situated to provide information that is relevant and necessary to inform the Committee’s oversight and potential legislative reforms.”

A request for comment from Pomerantz was not immediately returned.

Bragg called the subpoena another example of a Republican “attempt to undermine an active investigation and ongoing New York criminal case.”

“Repeated efforts to weaken state and local law enforcement actions are an abuse of power and will not deter us from our duty to uphold the law,” Bragg wrote in a tweet.

Republicans had rallied around Trump in the leadup to his indictment Tuesday, labeling Bragg’s investigation a “political persecution.”