The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, has reportedly expressed “doubts” about the politically motivated case against President Donald Trump’s business.
Bragg, who was sworn into office last month, has shocked the political world and has paused bringing new witnesses to the grand jury in his investigation into Trump and his business empire, according to a report from the New York Times.
And because of these doubts and the monthlong pause in grand jury testimony, the two leading prosecutors working the case have resigned.
Carey Dunne, who led the legal fight to get Trump’s tax returns and tax-related documents all the way to the Supreme Court, has left the office.
And Mark Pomerantz, a “killer” attorney brought in from private practice to help lead the probe, also resigned, spokesperson Danielle Filson said.
When Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg was charged, Dunne said:
“Contrary to today’s assertion by the company’s former CEO Trump, this is not a ‘standard practice in the business community’ nor was it the act of a rogue or isolated employee.
“Instead, it was orchestrated by the most senior executives, who were financially benefiting themselves and the company by getting secret pay raises at the expense of state and federal taxpayers,” he said.
According to The Times:
“The resignations, following the monthlong pause, mark an unexpected turnabout after the investigation had recently intensified.
“Cyrus R. Vance Jr., Mr. Bragg’s predecessor, convened the grand jury in the fall, and prosecutors began questioning witnesses before his term concluded at the end of the year. (Mr. Vance did not seek re-election.)
“In mid-January, reporters for The Times observed significant activity related to the investigation at the Lower Manhattan courthouse where the grand jury meets, with at least two witnesses visiting the building and staying inside for hours.
“The witnesses were Mr. Trump’s longtime accountant and an expert in the real estate industry, according to people familiar with the appearances, which have not been previously reported. Mr. Dunne and Mr. Pomerantz also made regular appearances at the courthouse.”
Breaking News: The prosecutors leading the Manhattan district attorney’s inquiry into Donald Trump have resigned. The D.A. is said to have doubts about the case. https://t.co/n6W30FopJw
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 23, 2022
2 prosecutors leading the Manhattan DA’s investigation into Trump abruptly resigned: report https://t.co/99xlReQkQK
— Insider (@thisisinsider) February 23, 2022
The New York Times also reported, “The prosecutors, Carey R. Dunne and Mark F. Pomerantz, submitted their resignations after the new Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, indicated to them that he had doubts about moving forward with a case against Mr. Trump, the people said.
“Without Mr. Bragg’s commitment to move forward, the prosecutors late last month postponed a plan to question at least one witness before the grand jury, one of the people said.
“They have not questioned any witnesses in front of the grand jury for more than a month, essentially pausing their investigation into whether Mr. Trump inflated the value of his assets to obtain favorable loan terms from banks,” the Times reported.
