Home GOP listening to in NYC on crime targets Trump indictment, Dems say

WASHINGTON – The Home Judiciary Committee held a listening to Monday in Manhattan to focus on what they declare is rampant crime in New York Metropolis. However Democrats assume otherwise, refuting that the listening to’s actual goal is to intrude with the Manhattan District Lawyer following former President Donald Trump’s indictment.

“We’re right here as we speak in decrease Manhattan for one purpose and one purpose solely: The chairman is doing the bidding for Donald Trump,” mentioned Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., the whose district contains Manhattan.

The raucous discipline listening to welcomed Congress again to session after a two-week recess in lawmakers first time convening since Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg indicted Trump with 34 felony fees of falsifying enterprise information.

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Extra:Manhattan DA Bragg sues Home GOP Rep. Jordan over Donald Trump felony case

Bragg declines to testify

Home Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, referred to as for Bragg to testify earlier than the committee, however Bragg declined.

“The Home GOP continues to try to undermine an energetic investigation and ongoing New York felony case with an unprecedented marketing campaign of harassment and intimidation,” Bragg tweeted in an announcement.

The heated listening to, which strayed from crime in New York Metropolis to the previous president’s indictment, left Democrats pointing the finger on the GOP for holding what they referred to as a “sham listening to” in an effort to suppress the prosecution of Trump.

Listed below are some key moments from the listening to, which is ongoing as of midday Monday:

Nadler feedback draw outburst

Nadler mentioned the Monday listening to was an effort to intimidate and deter Bragg from his work.

He mentioned the Judiciary committee has demanded entry to the innerworkings of an ongoing felony case involving Bragg’s fees in opposition to Trump. This places future congressional oversight in danger, Nadler mentioned.

Bragg filed a lawsuit in opposition to Jordan, calling the Ohio Republican’s inquiry into the prosecution of former President Donald Trump “an unprecedentedly brazen and unconstitutional assault” on a neighborhood felony case.

“It’s an outrageous abuse of energy. It’s, to make use of the chairman’s favourite time period, a weaponization of the Home Judiciary committee,” Nadler mentioned to outbursts from the viewers.

Schiff: GOP performing as ‘felony protection counsel’ for Trump

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., blamed GOP committee members for utilizing the listening to as a way to disrupt, interrupt and intrude with the prosecution of Trump and mentioned it’s a “useless try and intimidate or embarrass the prosecutorial authority.”

“They’d have you ever consider it is a mere coincidence that unexpectedly, out of the blue, the chairman determined that the state of New York is a superb place to do a listening to,” the California consultant mentioned.

Schiff mentioned the GOP management is performing as “the felony protection counsel” for Trump.

The remark introduced an outburst from an viewers member who yelled in response to Schiff’s feedback. The person continued screaming whereas Capitol police escorted him out of the listening to room.

Rep. Cicilline requires change of venue

After a witness testified that crimes charges have decreased in New York Metropolis, Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., questioned Jordan as to how the listening to might be transferred to Ohio, the place the murder charge is 3 times larger than in New York, in accordance with Bragg’s workplace.

New York Police Division statistics present homicides, shootings, burglaries and robberies are down in the course of the first quarter of the yr.

“How will we transfer the venue so we are able to have a listening to in a metropolis or state that has a severe crime downside? The state of Ohio,” Cicilline mentioned.