Judge Juan Merchan nixed Donald Trump's attempt to subpoena Mark Pomerantz, a former Manhattan special prosecutor who published private details about his campaign to charge the former president, according to the Washington Examiner.
In a Friday order, the judge wrote that the subpoena requests "are far too broad and amount to an improper fishing expedition into general discovery."
The subpoena had sought Pomerantz's communications with people who are currently serving as witnesses in Trump's New York paperwork trial, as well as other documents.
"There is no reasonable likelihood that the [subpoenaed documents] would uncover any information that is relevant and material to the proceedings," Merchan wrote, alluding to the large number of related documents that Trump's legal team had already received.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg quickly moved to quash the subpoena after Trump's lawyers issued it in March, the Examiner reported.
Pomerantz's communications with a number of people were sought, including onetime Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who is a star witness for the prosecution. Trump's team requested communications that showed "any form of bias or animosity toward President Trump," as well as "requests for benefits or other consideration," and any exchanges about evidence in the case that Pomerantz had with Bragg's office after he left.
Beginning in 2021, Pomerantz joined the Manhattan District Attorney's Office on a pro bono basis to investigate Trump, but resigned in protest after Bragg was elected to the office in January 2022 and ended the probe.
Published by The New York Times, Pomerantz's resignation letter claimed the former president was "guilty of numerous felony violations" and revealed the former prosecutor was angry with Bragg for failing to bring charges.
"I believe that your decision not to prosecute Donald Trump now, and on the existing record, is misguided and completely contrary to the public interest," Pomerantz wrote to Bragg.
In his book, "People vs. Donald Trump," published in February 2023, Pomerantz likened Trump's business practices to former mob boss John J. Gotti and laid out why he felt it was important that Trump be prosecuted.
Republicans in Congress have claimed that the amount of publicity Pomerantz brought to the case is what ultimately convinced Bragg to reverse course and indict Trump, the Examiner reported.
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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