This puts the future of the probe in question at a time when Trump was under increasing pressure on many legal fronts.
Carey Dunne, and Mark Pomerantz, the top deputies charged with overseeing the investigation on a daily basis, were confirmed by a spokesperson for Alvin Bragg. They both worked on the Trump probe under former District attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. Bragg asked them to remain .
Dunne, who was the former general counsel of the office, appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court as part of a multi-year, successful fight for Trump’s tax records. Vance brought Pomerantz out of private practice last year to increase his knowledge in white collar investigations. He had also been involved in questioning witnesses in front the grand jury.
Bragg spokesperson Danielle Filson stated that they are grateful for their services. She declined to comment, stating that the investigation was ongoing.
According to the New York Times, sources said that the grand jury investigation was in limbo. There were no sessions within the last month and that Dunne, Pomerantz had quit after Bragg raised concerns about whether they would pursue a case against Trump. A former president has never been charged with any crime.
The nearly three-year-long investigation has led to tax fraud allegations against Trump’s company and his long-serving finance chief Allen Weisselberg. These charges relate to lucrative fringe benefits like rent, car payments, school tuition, and car payments.
Dunne, Pomerantz received messages seeking comments.
Trump didn’t immediately respond to the news. Robert Fischetti, Trump’s lawyer, said in a telephone interview that he was a happy man. This investigation, in my opinion is over.
Fischetti stated that Bragg had not spoken with him about the state of the investigation and potential charges against Trump, but Wednesday’s developments led the lawyer to say that it seemed likely that the D.A. Fischetti said that Bragg had not spoken to him about the status of the investigation or potential charges against Trump, but Wednesday’s developments suggested that the D.A.
Fischetti stated, “My client has not done anything wrong.”
Duncan Levin is a former Manhattan prosecutor and a witness who cooperates in the Trump case. He said that Dunne’s resignation and Pomerantz’s resignation “signals major problems with the pending investigation.”
Levin stated, “What is certain is that an immense amount of resources went into this investigation and its fate seems somewhat uncertain.”
Trump was likely to be further encouraged by the resignations. Trump is a Republican who still plans to run for president in 2024 despite several legal setbacks. Trump has repeatedly attacked the New York probes, calling them baseless and politically motivated. He stated last week in a statement that Democratic prosecutors were using “historic amounts of energy, time, and money to try to ‘get Trump”.
Trump continues to face legal problems. A judge in New York ordered Trump to testify under oath last week in a parallel civil investigation. The lawsuits were trying to hold him responsible for the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol Riot. A judge in Washington denied dismissal of conspiracy lawsuits. The National Archives revealed that classified data was found within 15 boxes of White House records sent to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
When asked if Wednesday’s developments would impact the civil probe, Letitia James, New York Attorney General, stated that “the investigation continues and there is a strong team working on it.”
The Jan. 6 committee continues to investigate the insurrection and Trump’s role in it. A Georgia investigation is also continuing to determine whether Trump violated the law by trying pressure to overturn President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory. In this case, a special grand jury will be formed and it is expected that they will last up to one year.
In 2019, the Manhattan D.A.’s Office began investigating Trump. It first examined hush-money payments made to women for his benefit. Then, it expanded into an investigation into whether Trump’s company misled tax authorities or lenders about the property’s value.
Bragg stated that he was proud to have Dunne, Pomerantz, and the continuity they brought to the investigation. He took over from Vance the D.A’s office, but he declined to run for reelection.
Bragg stated that “I think the only continuity is the staffing” during a Jan. 20 Q&A session with reporters.
Bragg stated that they have been “dedicated” and worked to keep them there and to think about how to best use the resources to continue the investigation. Then, Bragg would be able to take decisions about the direction of the probe.
Bragg was prohibited by ethics rules to discuss the case in depth. He stated at the time that Trump’s investigation was “coming up to speed” and that he would “follow all the facts.” He did not give a timeline for a decision on a charge.
Bragg stated, “It’s an issue that’s personally, you would imagine. It’s on my radar screen, and that I’m aware of and paying attention too.”
Weisselberg was the only one charged in the investigation. He pleaded not guilty to the charges that he collected and failed pay taxes on off-the-books compensation of more than $1.7million.
Lawyers for Weisselberg, as well as the Trump Organization, filed court papers Tuesday seeking to dismiss the case. The lawyers for Weisselberg argued that the D.A. was using him as a punishment for not supporting the former president.
