The House Judiciary Committee announced on April 10 it will hold a field hearing in New York City on April 17 to discuss Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, just weeks after the unprecedented indictment and arraignment of former President Donald Trump in Bragg’s district.
The hearing is titled “Victims of Violent Crime in Manhattan.”
Bragg has come under fire, mainly from conservatives and the GOP, for what those critics say are “soft on crime” policies. The hearing, according to the committee, “will examine how Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s pro-crime, anti-victim policies have led to an increase in violent crime and a dangerous community for New York City residents.”
Bragg’s office has fired back at the scheduled hearing, calling it a “political stunt.”
Shortly after taking office, Bragg issued a memo to his staffers stating that the district attorney’s office will not prosecute, among numerous offenses, marijuana misdemeanors, public transportation fare evasion, most trespassing violations, resisting arrest, and prostitution. Bragg also announced the downgrading of certain offenses including possession of a non-firearm weapon, both residential and commercial burglaries, and drug cases.
Republicans have pointed out the incongruence of Bragg’s leniency for these crimes versus his prosecution of Trump for allegedly falsifying business records.
Trump was arraigned on April 4 on a 34-count indictment, to which he pleaded not guilty, over his alleged role in the payment of hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the final weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign. On his social media site, Truth Social, Trump has called Bragg’s prosecution a “WITCH HUNT” and said that the district attorney should “INDICT HIMSELF.”
“The People of the State of New York allege that Donald J. Trump repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal crimes that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election,” said Bragg in a statement released by his office.
“Manhattan is home to the country’s most significant business market. We cannot allow New York businesses to manipulate their records to cover up criminal conduct,” he continued. “As the statement of facts describes, the trail of money and lies exposes a pattern that, the People allege, violates one of New York’s basic and fundamental business laws.
GOP Probes
A field hearing occurs when a committee holds a hearing outside of its committee room on Capitol Hill. The House Judiciary hearing is scheduled to be held at the Javits Federal Building in Manhattan.Since a New York grand jury voted on March 30 to indict Trump, Republicans have vowed to hold Bragg accountable.
“Alvin Bragg has irreparably damaged our country in an attempt to interfere in our Presidential election. As he routinely frees violent criminals to terrorize the public, he weaponized our sacred system of justice against President Donald Trump. The American people will not tolerate this injustice, and the House of Representatives will hold Alvin Bragg and his unprecedented abuse of power to account,” said House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in a Twitter post.
House GOP lawmakers have started a probe into Bragg and his office over the Trump investigation, which Bragg has characterized as congressional overreach.
Bragg’s office fired back on March 31 at House GOP committee chairmen over their two letters to him regarding his investigation of former President Donald Trump.
The March 20 and March 25 letters to Bragg were written by House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), and House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (R-Wis.).
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