Judge decries ‘political rhetoric’ in standoff over subpoena in Trump probe

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A U.S. judge on Thursday said “from both sides” of the confrontation between the Manhattan prosecutor who indicted Donald Trump and Trump, a Republican and one of his Republican supporters, said: ignoring “political rhetoric”. .

Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg sued Republican Rep. Jim Jordan last week to block a subpoena seeking testimony from former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz.

The subpoena was from the House Judiciary Committee chaired by Jordan. Pomerantz’s deposition is now scheduled for Thursday.

After hearing a debate in Manhattan federal court on whether to block the subpoena, U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Viskosil said she would make the decision public “as soon as possible.” He said he would focus on the matter and would not focus on other political issues raised by the parties.

“There’s politics going on here on both sides. Let’s be honest,” Viskosil, who was nominated for the bench by Trump, said. “I’m talking about subpoenas. That’s what’s in front of me. Not all the political rhetoric going back and forth.”

Bragg’s attorney, Theodore Boutras, claimed Congress was “blackmailing” the district attorney’s office for Trump’s prosecution and trying to interfere with local prosecutions.

Matthew Berry, the House counsel who represents Jordan, said the subpoena is subject to constitutional protection against “speech or debate” in Congress, and the committee calls what he calls a “politically motivated indictment.” He countered that he needed Pomerantz’s testimony to consider the restrictive law. of the president.

Vyskocil said Pomerantz was in a “tricky situation”. That’s because his ethical obligation to protect confidential information from his time in the District Attorney’s office could prevent him from answering the Commission’s questions. She said she could face contempt charges.

Vyskocil noted that Pomerantz had published a book on the investigation, questioning whether it changed his ethical obligations.

Pomerantz urged Viskosil to block the subpoena and said Bragg was not involved in the decision to indict Trump.

Trump, the Republican front-runner in the 2024 presidential election, pleaded not guilty from April 4 to 34 for paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. I had He denies having been contacted.

Reporting by Luc Cohen, New York Editing by Margherita Choi

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