Former Trump prosecutor Pomerantz refuses to answer House questions
Mark Pomerantz, author, "People vs. Donald Trump: An Inside Account," appears on "Meet the Press" in Washington, Feb. 12, 2023.
A former prosecutor refused Friday to answer questions at a deposition by the House Judiciary Committee about a criminal investigation of Donald Trump in which he once played a leading role.
The Judiciary Committee, whose chairman Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio is a close Republican ally of Trump, has been investigating whether the Manhattan District Attorney's Office probe and charging of Trump was politically motivated.
The former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, in an opening statement prepared for his deposition and obtained by NBC News, called the Judiciary Committee's demand for his testimony "an act of political theater."
"Fortunately, I do not have to cooperate with the cynical histrionics that this deposition represents," said Pomerantz.
He argued he had the right to not answer questions if they were not pertinent "to a legitimate legislative function."
"We are gathered here because Donald Trump's supporters would like to use these proceedings to attempt to obstruct and undermine the criminal case pending against him, and to harass, intimidate and discredit anyone who investigates or charges him," Pomerantz said.
He also cited Trump's recent criminal indictment in New York for allegedly falsifying business records related to a hush money payment as another reason he would not answer questions about the probe.
"The charges against Mr. Trump should be heard and decided by a judge and a jury before politicians second-guess their merits or the decision to bring them," Pomerantz said.
He added the DA's office had instructed him to maintain the office's claims of privilege and confidentiality to protect the integrity of the criminal case against Trump.
Pomerantz also cited his Fifth Amendment right under the Constitution not to answer questions that could be used against him in a possible criminal case.
He noted the DA's office had warned him he could face criminal charges if he disclosed grand jury material, and that a lawyer for the DA had said a book he wrote about the Trump case "exposed [him] to criminal liability." Pomerantz added he did not believe he committed any crime.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., a committee member, told reporters later Pomerantz refused to answer any questions at the deposition.
"I've never had a more obstructive and less cooperative witness in my over 20 years in Congress," Issa said, according to NBC News.
Source: CNBC
