(CNN) House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan has subpoenaed former New York County Special Assistant District Attorney Mark Pomerantz for his role investigating Donald Trump and his business empire — as House Republicans try to frame the latest indictment against the former president as politically motivated.
The move comes as Jordan left open whether he would take the unprecedented step of subpoenaing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Brock as part of an effort by major House Republicans to discredit his case against Trump.
Pomerantz resigned from the Manhattan DA’s office in 2022 and said in his resignation letter that the former president was “guilty of multiple criminal violations” regarding his annual financial statements. He resigned one day after Bragg said he was not ready to move forward with criminal charges at the time.
“Pomerantz’s public statements about the investigation strongly suggest that Bragg’s prosecution of President Trump is politically motivated,” the committee wrote in a statement announcing the subpoena.
Bragg responded to the subpoena news saying, “The House GOP is attempting to undermine an active investigation and ongoing New York criminal prosecution through an unprecedented campaign of harassment and intimidation.”
In a statement posted on Twitter, “These elected officials will best serve their constituents and the country by performing their duties in Congress, fulfilling their oath of office, and not intruding on the sovereignty of the State of New York by interfering in an ongoing criminal case in state court.”
Pomerantz declined to comment when asked about the subpoena.
Jordan originally asked Pomerantz to cooperate voluntarily on March 22, but Pomerantz said the New York District Attorney’s Office advised him not to cooperate.
A deposition date is set for April 20, according to a copy of the subpoena reviewed by CNN.
Jordan telegraphed his decision to subpoena Pomeranz during an appearance on Fox News on Wednesday, saying, “We think we’d like to talk to him and get some answers. It might be an easier route than Mr. Bragg’s.” Bragg’s office has responded to Jordan’s requests and said they are willing to meet.
The subpoena for Pomerantz is the latest to remove Jordan from his position as chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee. Jordan evaded a congressional subpoena when the former January 6 Committee subpoenaed him last Congress as part of its investigation.
In the subpoena, Jordan writes that because of Pomerantz’s book and public media appearances, “there is no basis to refuse to testify about the matters before the panel.”
“You released a book this month excoriating Bragg for not aggressively prosecuting President Trump, revealing internal office discussions about the investigation and your personal animosity toward President Trump,” Jordan wrote.
“Your efforts to discredit Brock seem to have paid off as he resurrects the so-called “zombie” case against President Trump using a weak and untested legal theory,” he added. “Your book has once again unfairly discredited President Trump, and now opens the door to scrutiny of the District Attorney’s office’s commitment to justice.”
Jordan added that Congress “could consider legislative reforms to special counsel officers and their relationships with other prosecution agencies.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Cara Scannell contributed.
