DA’s office says Trump and Congress cannot interfere in extraordinary course of Latest York court business
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 20: Tourists travel along 1st Street near the East Front of the U.S. Capitol constructing on March 20, 2023 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office told several congressional committees in a recent letter that Trump and congressional Republicans may not “interfere with the extraordinary course of proceedings in Latest York State.”
That clap back from Bragg’s general counsel reiterated that the office is not going to comply with any request from Republican-led committees within the House to get details about its investigation and criminal charging of Trump.
“Like every other defendant, Mr. Trump is entitled to challenge these charges in court and avail himself of all processes and protections that Latest York State’s robust criminal procedure affords,” wrote Leslie Dubeck, the final counsel.
But Dubeck wrote that the committees looking for information in regards to the probe “lack jurisdiction to oversee a state criminal prosecution.”
Within the letter, the final counsel called the requests “an unprecedented and illegitimate incursion on Latest York’s sovereign interests.”
“Even worse, based in your reportedly close collaboration with Mr. Trump in attacking this Office and the grand jury process, it appears you might be acting more like criminal defense counsel trying to assemble evidence for a client than a legislative body looking for to attain a legitimate legislative objective,” Dubeck wrote.
— Dan Mangan
Biden refuses to comment on Trump indictment — many times
Members of the media ask inquiries to U.S. President Joe Biden as he walks to the Marine One helicopter to depart for travel to Mississippi to view tornado damage, from the White House in Washington, U.S., March 31, 2023.Â
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
President Joe Biden refused Friday — many times — to comment on the indictment of Trump, his predecessor within the White House, and potentially his opponent in next yr’s presidential election.
Reporters asked Biden repeatedly in regards to the unprecedented lodging of criminal charges against Trump, but every time he gave a similar response.
“I haven’t any comment on Trump,” Biden said.
The White House on Thursday made clear it might not weigh in on the indictment after news of it broke within the late afternoon.
Trump faces three other major criminal probes. Two of them are being conducted by the Department of Justice, which is investigating Trump for his efforts to overturn Biden’s victory within the 2020 election, along with his retention of presidency documents at his Florida residence as federal officials sought their return.
A state prosecutor in Atlanta is investigating Trump and multiple allies of his for potentially criminal interference in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election.
— Dan Mangan
Trump lawyer says Manhattan DA sought Friday give up but Secret Service rejected idea
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg walks outside the District Attorney’s offices as Bragg’s office investigates $130,000 paid in the ultimate weeks of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign to Stormy Daniels, a porn star who said she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 when he was married to his current wife Melania, in Latest York City, U.S. March 27, 2023. Â
Amanda Perobelli | Reuters
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg wanted Trump to give up to his office a day after Thursday’s indictment, the previous president’s lawyer told NBC News.
The attorney, Joseph Tacopina, says he nixed that concept, telling Bragg that the U.S. Secret Service, which protects Trump, needed more time to organize for him to travel to Latest York and be booked within the criminal case.
The Secret Service has denied that claim by Tacopina, NBC reported.
Sources said Trump’s protective detail may very well be set to travel with him to Latest York at a moment’s notice, and that they’ll achieve this for Tuesday’s scheduled appearance in Manhattan court.
— Dan Mangan
