America First Legal (AFL) has filed a new lawsuit against the New York District Attorney’s Office for failing to comply with a records request under the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) regarding District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s prosecution of former President Donald Trump.
In March 2023, AFL began an investigation into the New York County District Attorney’s Office, requesting internal communications and other documents relating to the prosecution of the former president.
The legal group cited a statement from Democrat political operative Lanny Davis, who claimed he influenced the investigation in a comment to Politico. “Davis’s claims might be puffery, but they provide an additional reason to believe that the District Attorney’s unusual interest in President Trump has been based on improper partisan considerations from the start,” AFL wrote in a press release.
After Trump’s conviction in a case tainted by allegations of political bias and prosecuted by individuals with strong connections to the Democratic Party and the Biden Administration, AFL submitted additional records requests.
Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the ‘hush money’ case in which Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts, had his financial records requested.
It’s worth noting that Merchan’s daughter is a prominent consultant who has raised millions for left-wing political candidates, including Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
On June 3, 2024, after several extensions, the District Attorney’s Office granted access to “one single-page record,” AFL announced in the press release.
“Additionally, its search identified ’36 responsive records’ to AFL’s request forall emails or other communications ‘mentioning or regarding Donald J. Trump’ with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), but the request was ‘denied on grand jury secrecy grounds,’” the legal group noted further.
“Bragg’s office’s statement appears inconsistent with DOJ’s June 10, 2024, response to Chairman Jim Jordan, stating that DOJ found nothing from its ‘comprehensive search for email communications since January 20, 2021, through the date of the verdict, between any officials in Department leadership, including all political appointees in those offices, and the District Attorney’s office regarding any investigation or prosecution of the former President,’” the statement from AFL continued.
As such, America First Legal is currently pursuing a lawsuit before the Supreme Court of the State of New York in order to obtain the requested records.
The group is requesting all documents related to communications between DA Bragg’s staff and the Biden Administration, including the Department of Justice, the New York Times, the Free and Fair Litigation Group, and Lanny Davis’ law and PR firms. Additionally, AFL is asking for all internal communications within Bragg’s office concerning Merchan or Trump.
