The House Judiciary Committee has once again turned its attention to Matthew Colangelo, a key prosecutor in the hush money case involving former President Trump. In a recent development, the committee has requested the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide extensive documentation regarding Colangelo’s involvement in the case.
Colangelo, who recently presented the opening statement in Trump’s trial in New York, had previously served as a senior official in the Biden administration’s Justice Department before joining the Manhattan district attorney’s office in December 2022.
The committee’s interest in Colangelo dates back to April of the previous year, when Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) initiated an inquiry into Colangelo’s hiring by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), requesting all relevant documents and communications.
However, Colangelo’s prominent role in the ongoing trial has sparked renewed attention from various quarters, including Trump himself, who has taken to social media to characterize Colangelo as a “top Democrat DOJ official.” Trump’s restrictions under a gag order prevent him from targeting Colangelo or other line prosecutors directly.
In its recent correspondence with the Justice Department, the Judiciary Committee has reiterated its request for communications between the DOJ and the Manhattan district attorney’s office concerning Trump or his businesses, specifically those involving Colangelo. Additionally, Jordan has sought access to Colangelo’s personnel records, encompassing his hiring and departure from the DOJ.
Furthermore, the committee has demanded all DOJ files related to the prosecution of Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, who is expected to testify in the hush money trial. This trial revolves around the efforts to conceal payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, allegedly orchestrated by Trump and Cohen.
Jordan has criticized Colangelo’s “obsession with investigating a person rather than prosecuting a crime,” pointing to Colangelo’s track record, which includes involvement in cases related to Trump during his tenure at the New York attorney general’s office and the subsequent probe into the Trump Organization during the final days of the Trump administration.
Colangelo’s journey from the New York attorney general’s office to a high-ranking position at the DOJ and then back to New York to join Bragg’s team has drawn scrutiny from Jordan, who had sought information on Bragg’s case against Trump even before its filing. This move was met with legal action from Bragg, who accused Jordan of attempting to undermine his office’s work.
In response, Bragg sued Jordan, condemning the effort as a blatant attempt to intimidate and undermine his office’s independence. Although a former prosecutor involved in the case initially resisted a subpoena, a judge eventually ruled in Jordan’s favor, compelling compliance.
Bragg’s office has vehemently contested congressional interference in state criminal prosecutions, asserting that Congress lacks the authority to supervise such matters or issue subpoenas for personal or political motives.