Republican House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan sent a letter to New York Attorney General Letitia James demanding documents related to Matthew Colangelo, who serves as lead prosecutor in the NY v. Trump case. Jordan criticized Colangelo’s history of investigating individuals rather than crimes and accused him of being obsessed with investigating President Trump. Colangelo previously worked in Biden’s DOJ as the acting associate attorney general. He left his high position to join the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office’s investigation of Trump before the indictment was issued.
Colangelo has a lengthy government resume, having worked in various legal roles dating back to the Obama administration. He has previously prosecuted cases involving Trump, including one that led to the dissolution of the Trump Foundation and another involving the push to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census. Experts have described Colangelo’s career move from a top DOJ position to a district attorney’s office as unusual, with some suggesting that it could be motivated by a desire to target Trump. Trump has criticized Colangelo as a “radical left prosecutor” and the presiding judge has imposed a gag order on Trump to prevent him from speaking publicly about the case.
Jordan expressed concerns that the politicized prosecution of Trump by the Manhattan District Attorney could have serious consequences for federal interests. The NY v. Trump case focuses on allegations that Trump falsified business records to conceal a payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has maintained his innocence. Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who is a key witness in the case, testified that he used personal funds to pay Daniels on Trump’s instructions. Cohen claimed he was later reimbursed for the payment, which he described as a “retainer” but argued was mischaracterized.
Colangelo’s involvement in the prosecution of Trump raised concerns about politicization and potential bias in the case. Jordan criticized the hiring of Colangelo by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, pointing to his history of targeting Trump and his family. The letter sent to James requested documents related to Colangelo’s employment history and his role in the investigation of Trump. The ongoing trial has attracted significant attention, with Cohen’s testimony providing key evidence in the case. The defense has maintained Trump’s innocence in the face of the allegations, while concerns about prosecutorial motives and potential political interference continue to be raised.
