US House Republicans launch investigation of Manhattan DA in Trump probe
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[March 21, 2023]
By David Morgan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. House of Representatives Republicans went on
the offensive on Monday against a possible criminal indictment against
Donald Trump, launching an investigation into the New York City
prosecutor who is probing allegations that the former president paid
hush money to a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.
Three Republican committee chairmen sent a letter to Manhattan District
Attorney Alvin Bragg seeking communications, documents and testimony
from him related to his investigation of a $130,000 payment by Trump's
former lawyer to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to buy her silence
over a 2006 sexual encounter she said she had with Trump.
Trump has denied any such relationship and any wrongdoing.
His fellow Republicans including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy have
accused Bragg, a Democrat, of abuse of power and using his office to
pursue a political agenda. McCarthy had also said he would direct House
committees to determine whether federal funds have been used in the
district attorney's probe.
"You are reportedly about to engage in an unprecedented abuse of
prosecutorial authority: the indictment of a former president of the
United States," the Republican chairmen said in the letter to Bragg.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Mar/21/images/ads/current/ldn_sda_KAREN_012823.png)
"This indictment comes after years of your office searching for a basis
- any basis - on which to bring charges," they added.
The letter was signed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan,
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and House Administration
Committee Chairman Bryan Steil.
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![](../images/032123PIX/news_y6.jpg)
Signage is seen in the Manhattan
District Attorney Alvin Bragg's offices as he continues his
investigation into former U.S. President Donald Trump, in Manhattan,
New York City, U.S., March 18, 2023. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2023/Mar/21/images/ads/current/heartland_lda_020123.png)
Democrats criticized the Republican action, saying a local
prosecutor in Manhattan falls outside the jurisdiction of Congress.
"Defending Trump is not a legitimate legislative purpose for
Congress to investigate a state district attorney," Democratic
Representative Daniel Goldman wrote on Twitter.
"Congress has no jurisdiction to investigate the Manhattan DA, which
receives no federal funding nor has any other federal nexus," added
Goldman, who was lead counsel in a 2019 House impeachment of Trump.
Trump said on Saturday that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday
and called for protests.
Politico reported that an indictment could come as soon as Monday.
No U.S. president, while in office or afterward, has faced criminal
charges. Trump, who is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential
nomination, has said he would continue campaigning even if charged
with a crime.
Trump was impeached twice during his presidency, once in 2019 over
his conduct regarding Ukraine and again in 2021 over the attack on
the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. He was acquitted by the Senate
both times.
(Reporting by David Morgan, Kanishka Singh and Susan Heavey in
Washington; Editing by Will Dunham and Doina Chiacu)
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