Global Courant 2023-05-13 05:14:06
A former prosecutor who once oversaw the Manhattan District Attorney Office’s investigation into former President Donald Trump frustrated House Republicans on Friday by repeatedly saying during a statement that he would not answer their questions about the prosecutor’s investigation. wouldn’t answer.
Mark Pomerantz spent about six hours with members of the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee, which is investigating DA Alvin Bragg’s prosecution of Trump in Manhattan.
In an opening statement obtained by NBC News, Pomerantz called the investigation “political theater” and condemned the panel’s use of a subpoena to force its participation.
“This statement is for show,” Pomerantz said. “We are gathered here because Donald Trump’s supporters want to use this proceeding to attempt to obstruct and undermine the criminal case against him, and to harass, intimidate and discredit anyone investigating or accusing him.”
Pomerantz also said it would be inappropriate for him to provide information about an ongoing investigation.
“This is not the time nor the place for me to answer questions about the investigation or the pending indictment despite the objection of prosecutors.”
Republicans furious after impeachment.
Rep. Darrell Issa of California criticized what he called Pomerantz’s lack of cooperation. He told reporters that instead of answering questions, Pomerantz invoked his Fifth Amendment.
“I have never had a more obstructive and less cooperative witness in my more than 20 years in Congress,” Issa said.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., similarly said the committee “didn’t get many answers.”
R-Ohio committee chair Jim Jordan did not provide details about Pomerantz’s testimony, citing panel rules.
Asked if he had learned anything new, Jordan replied, “I think in some ways I was surprised by some of the positions he took,” without giving any details.
The House Judiciary Committee and Jordan did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.
Jordan subpoenaed Pomerantz for his testimony in April, shortly after Trump was indicted for payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels and another woman during the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Jordan said Pomerantz’s previous role as a prosecutor in the investigation put him “in a unique position to provide information that is relevant and necessary” to the panel’s investigation into Bragg’s prosecution of the former president. Pomerantz had abruptly resigned from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office last year.
Bragg initially tried to block elements of the Judiciary Commission’s investigation, alleging in a lawsuit that Jordan and the panel made an “unprecedentedly brutal and unconstitutional attack” on his investigation of Trump and attempted to interfere with his prosecution.
After resisting the commission’s request for testimony from Pomerantz, Bragg and Jordan reached an agreement last month that paved the way for Friday’s statement.
Pomerantz previously wrote about his work investigating Trump’s alleged financial crimes in a book released in February, but said Friday that doesn’t mean he’ll discuss it further given Trump’s subsequent indictment.
“While I have written and spoken publicly about the Trump investigation, I did so before criminal charges were brought against Mr. Trump,” Pomerantz said in his statement to the Judiciary Committee. “Now that a grand jury has indicted him, circumstances have changed.”
After leaving the statement, Pomerantz told reporters, “I have nothing, absolutely nothing to say.”
Reached for comment, Pomerantz’s attorneys referred NBC News to his statement before the committee.
Alexandra Bacalao, Ryan Nobles and Kyle Stewart contributed.
