Ex-prosecutor in New York Trump probe to testify in May after appeal dropped

[April 24, 2023]  (Reuters) - A former prosecutor who led the Manhattan district attorney's criminal probe into former U.S. President Donald Trump will go ahead with testimony in May before a congressional committee after an effort to block his appearance was dropped, the panel said on Friday.  

New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after former U.S. President Donald Trump appeared at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, after his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in New York City, U.S., April 4, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz will testify May 12, a spokesperson for the chairman of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee said.

The committee subpoenaed him in connection with the probe that led to Trump becoming the first ex-president to be criminally charged.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, sued Jim Jordan, the Republican chair of the committee, to block the subpoena.

On Friday, both sides said the appeal had been dropped, paving the way for the deposition to take place.

"We are pleased with this resolution, which ensures any questioning of our former employee will take place in the presence of our General Counsel on a reasonable, agreed upon timeframe," a spokesperson for the a Manhattan District Attorney said.

Trump, the Republican front-runner in the 2024 presidential nominating campaign, pleaded not guilty on April 4 to 34 felony charges. They related to a hush money payment before the 2016 election to a porn star to prevent her from discussing a sexual encounter she said they had. He denies the liaison took place.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld and Kanishka Singh; writing by Costas Pitas; editing by Eric Beech and Cynthia Osterman)

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