'Political dogfight': Judge smacks both Jordan and Bragg over subpoena battle

A federal judge denied a request by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to block a subpoena of former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz by the House Judiciary Committee.

District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil said in her order that she "does not endorse" the agenda of Bragg or committee chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), but she said Pomerantz must appear for a deposition as the House panel investigates the indictment of former president Donald Trump on business fraud charges, reported CNN.

“In our federalist system, elected state and federal actors sometimes engage in political dogfights," Vyskocil wrote. "Bragg complains of political interference in the local DANY (District Attorney of New York) case, but Bragg does not operate outside of the political arena. Bragg is presumptively acting in good faith. That said, he is an elected prosecutor in New York County with constituents, some of whom wish to see Bragg wield the force of law against the former President and a current candidate for the Republican presidential nomination."

“Jordan, in turn, has initiated a political response to what he and some of his constituents view as a manifest abuse of power and nakedly political prosecution, funded (in part) with federal money, that has the potential to interfere with the exercise of presidential duties and with an upcoming federal election,” the judge added.

Pomerantz had been scheduled to testify Thursday before the committee, but an appeals court delayed the deposition to allow a three-judge panel to hear arguments on a stay pending trial.

“The Court is further unmoved by Bragg’s purported concern at the prospect of ‘inject[ing] partisan passions’ into a forum where they do not belong,” Vyskocil said. “By bringing this action, Bragg is engaging in precisely the type of political theater he claims to fear.”