Rep. Matt Gaetz predicted House Republicans would try again to force a former New York prosecutor to answer about whether the case against former President Donald Trump was built on political biases and illegal tactics.
Speaking on his “Firebrand” podcast on Friday, the Fort Walton Beach Republican discussed “Trump hater” Mark Pomerantz appearing before the House Judiciary Committee last week.
As The Free Press has reported, Pomerantz was the New York assistant district attorney who argued for charging Trump in the alleged hush-money payment to stripper Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election. He did so after the Justice Department and the Manhattan DA’s office previously passed on filing charges against Trump.
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The former prosecutor reportedly quit over the refusal to pursue Trump and later wrote a book about the case, “People vs. Donald Trump: An Inside Account.” In the book, Pomerantz rips Trump as a “malignant narcissist” and maybe a “megalomaniac” who “posed a real danger to the country and to the ideas that mattered to me.” “His behavior made me angry, sad, and even disgusted,” he added.
House Republicans wanted answers about how the case was built. Pomerantz testified before the Judiciary Committee after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg unsuccessfully fought a subpoena for his testimony.
On Friday, Gaetz reported that Pomerantz refused to answer almost every question, opting each time to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
“I asked him if he violated Donald Trump’s constitutional rights – he took the Fifth. I asked if he violated standards of legal ethics – he took the Fifth. I asked if he misused federal funds – Fifth. I asked if he broke any laws during his time with the Manhattan DA while investigating Trump – and he exercised his constitutional right not to incriminate himself,” said Gaetz.
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Pomerantz, said Gaetz, even invoked the Fifth Amendment when Democrats questioned him.
Gaetz clarified that all Americans have that right, and the willingness to do so does not mean someone is guilty of any crime.
Still, he added, Pomerantz did so “about a subject he was literally willing to write a book about.”
“Something is rotten in the Manhattan DA’s office,” said Gaetz. “I am more certain of this now. … and we are not done investigating potential misconduct, misuse of federal funds and further concerns.”
Gaetz said committee Republicans would seek a court order to force Pomerantz to answer their questions.
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