- The Washington Times - Monday, July 8, 2024

House Republicans have postponed a hearing with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to question him about former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush money case because Mr. Trump’s sentencing date has been pushed back.

Mr. Bragg and one of the case’s top prosecutors, Michael Colangelo, were expected to attend a hearing on July 12 with the House Judiciary Committee’s select subcommittee on government weaponization.

Mr. Trump was originally supposed to be sentenced on July 11 for a conviction of falsifying business records to conceal payments to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016.

Mr. Bragg said last week that they don’t oppose delaying his sentencing, while he fights the conviction after the Supreme Court ruled that presidents have immunity for actions that fall under presidential duty.

“Although we believe defendant’s arguments to be without merit, we do not oppose his request for leave to file and his putative request to adjourn sentencing pending determination of his motion,” he wrote in a letter to Judge Juan Merchan who ruled on the case.

The new sentencing date is Sept. 18.

Mr. Bragg had said he would not appear for the hearing until Mr. Trump has been sentenced, so the new hearing date probably won’t be until at least late September. 

“The Manhattan D.A.’s Office is proud to play a crucial role in upholding and enforcing the rule of law for the people of New York,” a Bragg spokesman said in a statement last month. “It undermines the rule of law to spread dangerous misinformation, baseless claims, and conspiracy theories following the jury’s return of a full-count felony conviction in People v. Trump.

“Nonetheless, we respect our government institutions and plan to appear voluntarily before the subcommittee after sentencing,” the spokesman said.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, Ohio Republican, called for Mr. Bragg and Mr. Colangelo to testify about the “kangaroo court” that found the former president guilty just a day after the jury delivered its verdict.

• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.

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