Congressional Republicans to hold 'field hearing' on Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg
MANHATTAN (WABC) -- The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next week with victims who they say are suffering under Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's policies.
The field hearing is scheduled for April 17 at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan.
The indictment of Donald Trump left Congressional Republicans outraged. Many, siding with the former president, insist the indictment was politically motivated.
Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, an ally of Trump, said the panel will examine what he calls Bragg's "pro-crime, anti-victim" policies and what they claim have led to an increase in violent crime for New York City residents.
Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs tweeted, "If Bragg can spend resources indicting President Trump, he should be able to address the soaring crime in NYC."
Democratic congressman Dan Goldman is a former federal prosecutor.
"All this 'field hearing' is trying to do is to continue their abuse of power, their weaponization of Congress, in order to intervene in a prosecution that they don't like," Goldman said.
Goldman insists the Republicans are trying to embarrass and discredit Bragg, despite the fact that arrests are up and most crime in Manhattan is now trending lower.
A spokesperson for Bragg released a statement that it's all a "political stunt."
"Don't be fooled, the House GOP is coming to the safest big city in America for a political stunt. This hearing won't engage in actual efforts to increase public safety, such as supporting national gun legislation and shutting down the iron pipeline," the statement said. "The Manhattan D.A.'s Office welcomes public safety conversations. We have them every day with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners."
Bragg's office said NYPD data shows that murders are down 14%, shootings are down 17%, burglaries are down 21% and robberies are down 8%.
Legal experts disagree on the strength of the case against Trump which accuses him of falsifying company business records to cover-up other crimes-most likely violations of election law.
"I think it is transparently an abuse of prosecutorial power to accomplish a political end," former U.S. Attorney General William Barr said.
If anyone is politically motivated, Goldman believes it's the Republican leadership in Congress.
"This Republican Party, and especially Jim Jordan and the leadership, does not seem to care one iota about hypocrisy," Goldman said. "All they care about is doing the bidding of Donald Trump, their dear leader."
The witness list of the so-called victims has yet to be made public.
RELATED | Trump indictment unsealed: Former president accused of violating election laws
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