House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan will take his Members on a field trip to New York City to hold a hearing on what he claims is “an increase in violent crime,” which he blames on Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney who is prosecuting Donald Trump for 34 criminal felony violations.
Jordan, who also heads the Republicans’ specially-constituted Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, has been using his special authority as head of one of the three most-powerful committees to target District Attorney Bragg in what some legal experts, and Bragg’s Office, say are illegal attempts to interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation.
The House Judiciary Committee has no oversight authority over a duty-elected state or county official.
In a press release, Jordan’s Judiciary Committee says his “hearing, ‘Victims of Violent Crime in Manhattan,’ will examine how Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s pro-crime, anti-victim policies have led to an increase in violent crime and a dangerous community for New York City residents.
READ MORE: Jim Jordan’s Lack of Legal Expertise Exposed by Former Prosecutor as He Tries to Defend Trump
The hearing is slated for Monday, April 17, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. ET at the Javits Federal Building in lower Manhattan.
Far-right House Republican Andy Biggs of Arizona, who sits on Jordan’s Judiciary Committee, admitted the reason for the hearing was in retaliation for Bragg’s prosecution of Trump. He also appeared to admit to animus after the hearing was announced, declaring on Twitter, “If Bragg can spend resources indicting President Trump, he should be able to address the soaring crime in NYC.”
But is crime actually “soaring” in New York City? These recent headlines suggest otherwise.
“NYC crime stats: Major felonies down, but youth violence on the rise” (Fox5 NY)
“NYC sees 5.6% overall crime drop in February” (Spectrum News/NY1)
“NYPD: Violent crime down in first 3 months of 2023” (CBS News New York)
Popular Information just weeks ago, even before these headlines were published, reported, “Trump allies misrepresent crime in NYC.”
“So far this year, the total number of murders in the city is 66 – a 19% decrease compared to the same time last year. This number is also 83% lower than 30 years ago,” Popular Information noted in just one of many examples.. “Similarly, the number of shooting incidents is down by 21% in 2023 compared to the same time last year. Incidents of felony assault and grand larceny auto are up this year compared to this time in 2022, but counts of rape, robbery, burglary, and grand larceny have gone down.”
Jordan’s “Weaponization” committee has been mocked and criticized. The premise for the need for the special committee comes out of years of false conservative claims that Democrats have “weaponized” federal agencies like the Dept. of Justice, which until recently was under the thumb of Donald Trump’s Attorney General Bill Barr, who some critics and legal experts have labeled “lawless.”
But even Barr, who spent much of his tenure as Attorney General protecting Trump, “said Sunday that investigators probing the potential mishandling of classified documents by former President Trump likely have “very good evidence” that Trump attempted to keep authorities from obtaining the materials after he left the White House,” The Hill reported.
Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner last week said Chairman Jordan’s attacks on DA Bragg have already violated New York law, and the U.S. Constitution. Kirschner says Jordan should be “locked up.”
Meanwhile, Democrats and critics are blasting Jordan over this latest move.
U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) calls it “an attempt to intimidate the Manhattan DA and interfere with the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump.” He asks: “How is this remotely ethical?”
Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license