Manhattan DA, House GOP agree to allow former prosecutor to testify

April 22 (UPI) -- Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has withdrawn a lawsuit asking the courts to block the House Judiciary Committee from compelling former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz to testify.

Bragg announced late Friday he has withdrawn his suit asking the courts to stop the Republican-led panel from forcing Pomerantz's testimony about the criminal investigation of former President Donald Trump.

The Judiciary Committee later confirmed a deal had been reached allowing the testimony to go forward.

"This evening the Manhattan District Attorney's Office withdrew its appeal in Bragg v. Jordan. Mr. Pomerantz's deposition will go forward on May 12, and we look forward to his appearance," a spokesman for committee chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in a Twitter post.

Bragg's office characterized the latest agreement as a success.

"Our successful stay of the subpoena blocked the immediate deposition and afforded us the time necessary to coordinate with the House Judiciary Committee on an agreement that protects the District Attorney's privileges and interests," a spokesperson for the DA's Office said in a statement.

"We are pleased with this resolution, which ensures any questioning of our former employee will take place in the presence of our General Counsel on a reasonable, agreed-upon timeframe."

Earlier this month, Jordan subpoenaed Pomerantz to testify about criminal charges against Trump stemming from a hush money payment to adult actress Stephanie Clifford, known by her stage name Stormy Daniels. Jordan said the committee was "conducting oversight" into the Manhattan DA's conduct.

Pomerantz resigned from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in 2022 over what he described as Bragg's unwillingness to prosecute Trump.

"Pomerantz's public statements about the investigation strongly suggest that Bragg's prosecution of President Trump is politically motivated," Jordan said.

Bragg subsequently sued to block the subpoena, arguing it was "an unprecedentedly brazen and unconstitutional attack by members of Congress on an ongoing New York State criminal prosecution and investigation of former President Donald J. Trump."

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil refused Bragg's request to block Pomerantz from testifying.

In her ruling, Vyskocil said the subpoena served a "valid legislative purpose" and that "it is not the role of the federal judiciary to dictate what legislation Congress may consider or how it should conduct its deliberations in that connection."

Vyskocil, a Trump appointee, questioned why the DA hadn't taken steps to make sure Pomerantz's book, People vs. Donald Trump: An Inside Account, didn't similarly expose crucial information.

The judge said Pomerantz is in a position where he had to testify "because he decided to inject himself into the public debate by authoring a book that he described as 'appropriate and in the public interest.'"