House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday in an investigation into possible coordination between the Justice Department and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in the "politicized prosecution" of former President Donald Trump.
At issue for Jordan and House Republicans is that former senior DOJ prosecutor Matthew Colangelo is the lead prosecutor for Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg against Trump in his New York business records trial. Colangelo's efforts while with the New York attorney general's office led to AG Letitia James' lawsuit against Trump and a $450 million judgment earlier this year. Colangelo joined Bragg's office after a stint at DOJ.
In his letter, Jordan told Garland it all adds up to "the perception that the Justice Department is assisting in Bragg's politicized prosecution."
"Mr. Colangelo's recent employment history demonstrates his obsession with investigating a person rather than prosecuting a crime," Jordan wrote.
Jordan is requesting information and documents related to Colangelo's time at DOJ. He also wants communications related to Colangelo with any of the sundry attorney's offices involved in criminal prosecutions of Trump.
"Bragg's politicized prosecution of President Trump has serious consequences for federal interests," Jordan wrote. "That a former senior Biden Justice Department official is now leading the prosecution of President [Joe] Biden's chief political rival only adds to the perception that the Biden Justice Department is politicized and weaponized."
Jordan investigated Bragg's hiring of Colangelo in April 2023, too, highlighting Colangelo's "history of working for law-enforcement entities that are pursuing President Trump."