Congress is back in session on Monday in Washington. But instead of convening in the nation’s capital, members of the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee plan to hold a field hearing in Lower Manhattan on Monday to ostensibly examine how Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office treats victims of violent crime.
Democrats say something else is happening here, and it has more to do with interfering with Bragg’s case against former President Donald Trump.
Here’s what’s happening:
What is a ‘field hearing’ and why is the House Judiciary Committee holding this one in Manhattan?
A field hearing on its face is not entirely unusual. It is supposed to be about bringing Congress to the people, and is meant to drum up attention to an issue.
But there is usually a more direct connection to congressional legislation or oversight of something within its jurisdiction.
In this case, it’s hard to ignore the overt politics. The House Judiciary Committee is led by Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, who faces 34 counts of business fraud in a case that’s being prosecuted by Bragg’s office.
The hearing is being billed as a look at victims of violent crime in Manhattan and how federal money is being used by the DA’s office. But Jordan and the Republican majority have been looking for ways to shift the spotlight from Trump to Bragg and this is another example of how they are accomplishing that.
When and where is the hearing taking place?
The hearing begins today at 9 a.m. at the Javits Federal Building in Lower Manhattan, a short distance from where Trump was arraigned last month.
Do we know who will be testifying at this hearing?
Partially. Earlier last week, Republicans announced three confirmed witnesses, including Jose Alba, the Harlem bodega worker who was initially charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of a man during a confrontation last year. Bragg’s office later dismissed the charges.
The two other confirmed witnesses include Madeline Brame — chair of a group called the Victims Rights Reform Council and the mother of a man who was fatally stabbed in Harlem in 2018 — and Jennifer Harrison, the girlfriend of a man who was killed and founder of Victims Rights NY whose website has a section called “Fire Alvin Bragg.” Democrats are likely to bring someone who can talk about the justice system, and likely how Congress is overstepping its bounds here.
Queens Councilmember Robert Holden, a moderate Democrat who supports rollbacks to the state‘s bail reform laws and caucuses with Republicans on the Council, is also expected to testify.
Republicans have been targeting Bragg ever since he’s entered office. Why is that?
Bragg, who is Manhattan’s first Black district attorney, ran on a progressive platform in 2021 that sought alternatives to mass incarceration as well as to protect tenants' rights.
That hasn’t sat well with Republicans, who have accused him of being too soft on crime amid an increase in crime during the first two years of the pandemic. Crime is now trending downward and is largely flat in Manhattan, though NYPD data shows some precincts are still dealing with higher rates of major crime than last year.
It’s worth noting that while felony assaults have increased, other major crimes, including murder, burglary and shootings, have trended downward so far when compared to the same time a year ago. But despite that, Republicans continue to seize on any crime they can point to and use it as a cudgel to inaccurately exploit how rampant crime is.
Former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Trump acolyte who was the Republican gubernatorial nominee last year, said he would have removed Bragg from office on day one had he won the race that ultimately went to Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Polling has shown that the state’s crime rate remains a consistent worry for New Yorkers, with the latest Siena College poll showing that just under half of New Yorkers say they feel unsafe.
What is the makeup of the House Judiciary Committee?
The committee is led by Jordan, an ardent Trump supporter who was trying to force Bragg to testify before Congress even before the former president was officially charged.
Bragg actually sued Jordan in federal court last week to block his subpoena of former Assistant District Attorney Mark Pomerantz. There are several big Trump supporters, including Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Chip Roy of Texas and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
On the Democratic side, the ranking member is New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler, who was previously the chair when Democrats controlled the House and led the first impeachment trial against Trump. Nadler called the hearing “an attempted obstruction of justice.”
Nadler says Democrats plan to debunk the false notion that crime rates are out of control in Manhattan, emphasize how Republicans are overstepping the authority of Congress, and call them out for blocking efforts at gun control, including a ban on assault weapons.
Jordan and Nadler are supposed to be the cooler heads in the hearing room. But you can expect a lot of theatrics from some of the rank-and-file members.
Rep. Dan Goldman's office has also confirmed that Jordan is allowing him, along with fellow Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat, to participate in the hearing. But unlike other members, they are only getting two-and-a-half minutes each for their questions. Other members will get five.
