Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has agreed to testify before Congress, but only after former President Donald Trump is sentenced next month. This decision came after calls for Bragg to testify before Congress regarding Trump’s conviction on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records. Bragg’s office initially resisted testifying, citing the ongoing case against Trump, but has now expressed willingness to engage with the committee to decide a date for the testimony.
Bragg’s indictment of Trump marked the first time a former US president has faced such charges. The case centers around Trump’s alleged falsification of payments to his lawyer to cover up hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Republican Rep. Jim Jordan had previously demanded Bragg and prosecutor Matthew Colangelo appear for a hearing following Trump’s guilty verdict in May. Bragg’s willingness to testify is seen as a move to address Republican attempts to defend Trump amid his legal troubles by questioning those involved in the case.
House Republicans, including Jordan, have criticized Bragg’s investigation into Trump as an abuse of prosecutorial authority and have attempted to frame the criminal charges as politically motivated. Jordan has sought to investigate other members of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office involved in the case, including subpoenaing former prosecutors and seeking voluntary cooperation from others. Similar efforts have been made to question other district attorneys, such as Fani Willis in Georgia, on their use of federal funding in state-level investigations into election-related matters.
Overall, Bragg’s agreement to testify before Congress marks the latest development in efforts by House Republicans to defend Trump amid legal challenges. The case against Trump has been closely watched as it represents the first indictment of a former US president, and the dynamics between prosecutors, Congress, and Trump’s allies continue to play out in the public eye. It remains to be seen how Bragg’s testimony will impact the ongoing legal proceedings and the broader political implications of Trump’s conviction.
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