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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsD.A. Bragg Statement on Ongoing Trump Investigation (email)
Statement by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Ongoing Investigation Concerning Donald J. Trump and The Trump Organization:
In recent weeks, the Manhattan District Attorneys Office has been repeatedly asked whether our investigation concerning former President Donald J. Trump, the Trump Organization, and its leadership is continuing.
It is.
There have also been questions about the timing of the grand jury. As anyone who has worked on criminal cases in New York knows, New York County has grand juries sitting all the time.
There is no magic at all to any previously reported dates.
The team working on this investigation is comprised of dedicated, experienced career prosecutors. They are going through documents, interviewing witnesses, and exploring evidence not previously explored. In the long and proud tradition of white-collar prosecutions at the Manhattan D.A.s Office, we are investigating thoroughly and following the facts without fear or favor.
The team is led by Susan Hoffinger, Chief of the Investigation Division. Susan has decades of experience as an Assistant District Attorney and a defense attorney, including New York State grand jury and trial experience, which are crucial for this investigation.
High-profile, complex investigations have been trademarks of my professional career.
As a state prosecutor and a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, I successfully brought cases involving money laundering, witness tampering, mortgage fraud, official misconduct, and bribery. And, I went wherever the facts took me, prosecuting two mayors, a city council member, an FBI agent, a former Senate Majority Leader, a District Attorney, and business executives.
Indeed, litigation involving the former president himself is not foreign to me. As the Chief Deputy at the New York State Attorney Generals Office, I oversaw the successful litigation against the former president, his family, and the Trump Foundation.
These experiences shape my approach and the investigative steps that the team is hard at work on. Prosecutors fulfilling their duties cannot and do not bring only cases that are slam dunks. To the contrary, every case must be brought for the right reason namely that justice demands it. Thats what Ive done throughout my career, regardless of how easy or tough a case might be.
I understand the public desire to know more about our investigative steps. But, the law requires secrecy during an investigation. It is a felony in New York for a prosecutor to disclose grand jury matters. And for good reason.
Doing so can create problems for cases and investigations, the individuals involved, and the criminal justice system. It can affect witness testimony or even lead to witness tampering. Unauthorized public disclosures also potentially can affect a defendants right to a fair trial.
While the law constrains me from commenting further at this time, I pledge that the Office will publicly state the conclusion of our investigation whether we conclude our work without bringing charges, or move forward with an indictment.
In the meantime, we will not be discussing our investigative steps. Nor will we be discussing grand jury matters.
In short, as we have previously said, the investigation continues.
Tomconroy
(7,611 posts)brooklynite
(94,571 posts)Of course, he said nothing, the complaints would pile up, just as they do with Attorney General Garland.
JohnSJ
(92,190 posts)prosecutors letter of resignation explicitly said because the DA didnt want to pursue it, I think I will believe those prosecutors until shown otherwise
SmallFry
(349 posts)Little matters if we dont do well in the next election.
Demsrule86
(68,576 posts)He will likely drag his feet over this forever.
brooklynite
(94,571 posts)Arazi
(6,829 posts)brooklynite
(94,571 posts)Arazi
(6,829 posts)Former House speaker Mike Madigan was just indicted on bribery charges.
Plenty of Chicago Dem alderman have also gone to prison. And Id like you to seriously present an argument that the Daleys were clean as a whistle.
Im sure a search will produce more indicted Dems. These are just off the top of my head.
Are you saying Dems never participate in corruption?
brooklynite
(94,571 posts)Arazi
(6,829 posts)Or corruptible.
Thats just false.
Pretty sure Vance was bought off by the Trumps when Jr and Ivanka were criming in Soho (and elsewhere).
We dont know if Bragg is corrupt. Time will tell but he hasnt earned my trust, and his move to dismiss the Trump case only deepens my suspicions about him.
brooklynite
(94,571 posts)Every complaint made against Bragg has been made against Garland.
Torchlight
(3,337 posts)Arazi
(6,829 posts)Im sure there are some who cant be bought.
Tbh, I dont think Merrill Garland is corrupt. I think hes nervous about making precedents.
Hes not bold. At all.
I believe there are solid legal arguments to prosecute #Traitor and familia but Garland may be too deferential to institutional norms. Ill reserve judgement for now
JohnSJ
(92,190 posts)Demsrule86
(68,576 posts)Trump has powerful allies I can't imagine how they could influence a Democratic DA but I am troubled by what has happened. Consider evidence was returned to Trump and others. In addition, We had the resignations of prosecutors that explicitly stated that Trump would not be prosecuted. Time will tell. I would investigate this if I was the governor and if there is some sort of malfeasance, and I am not saying this is the case, she can fire him.
Arazi
(6,829 posts)lark
(23,099 posts)Is Bragg just another NY pol/legal person who got bribed or threatened with incriminating information and rolled over for drumpf and is now lying about it? Magic 8 balls says "most likely".
Thomas Hurt
(13,903 posts)cripple the investigation. Meaning it is ongoing but Bragg effectively restricted it to protect the Pig, or avoid having to indict a former Pres.
Botany
(70,504 posts)No more investigations we need prosecutions. They have the evidence.
2 Prosecutors Leading N.Y. Trump Inquiry Resign, Clouding Cases Future
The resignations came after the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, was said to have expressed doubts about the case.
The prosecutors, Carey R. Dunne and Mark F. Pomerantz, submitted their resignations because 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.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/23/nyregion/trump-ny-fraud-investigation.html
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)into a political case/indictment for the 30% of the population who wants me to do so. The Manhattan DA's Office has plenty of issues beyond that POS trump."