AFPI Sues Manhattan DA Bragg for Records Withheld on Trump Case
Washington D.C.— The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) today filed a lawsuit in New York State court against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for his office’s nearly year-long refusal to release public records that may reveal politically motivated coordination behind the prosecution of President Donald J. Trump.
The suit comes after Bragg’s office failed to produce records responsive to a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request submitted by AFPI in September 2024. The request sought communications that could demonstrate links between Bragg’s office, Loren Merchan (daughter of Judge Merchan, who was presiding over the criminal case against President Trump) and her political consulting group, Authentic Campaigns, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and other high-ranking Biden administration officials.
“This lawsuit strikes at the heart of a growing crisis: the weaponization of the legal system against political opponents,” said Jessica Hart Steinmann, executive general counsel at AFPI. “We are taking this fight to court because the American people deserve to know whether this unprecedented prosecution was a product of justice—or politics. Bragg’s refusal to comply with basic public records law raises serious concerns about what he’s trying to hide.”
AFPI’s Center for Litigation launched the FOIL investigation last fall, requesting communications and records that could help determine whether political figures played a role in directing or influencing Bragg’s decision to prosecute Trump. Despite their acknowledgement of hundreds—possibly thousands—of responsive documents, the DA’s office has provided no justification for its blanket refusal to release them.
“Why does Bragg’s office have so many of these records?” asked Jack Casali, attorney with the Center for Litigation at AFPI. “We’ve given them nearly a year to answer that question and produce what they have. They’ve only ignored our lawful request. The courts must now intervene to ensure the law is upheld and the truth is revealed.”
AFPI’s investigation highlights growing concerns about the erosion of public trust in the justice system. The charges against President Trump were themselves unprecedented—recasting a time-barred state misdemeanor into a felony by tying it to an undefined “other crime” never agreed upon by the jury. The prosecution was helmed by a district attorney who ran for office pledging to take down Trump, assisted by a Biden DOJ alum, and overseen by a judge with partisan ties against the defendant before him—President Trump.
“Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, every American has a right to know whether the justice system is being used as a political weapon,” said Steinmann. “AFPI will not stop until those answers are brought to light.”
AFPI’s lawsuit seeks a court order compelling the Manhattan DA’s office to immediately comply with its legal obligations under New York’s Freedom of Information Law.
Documentation
To view a copy of AFPI’s FOIL request, click here.
To view a copy of AFPI communications with the Manhattan DA’s office, click here.
To view a copy of the petition filed by AFPI with the Supreme Court of New York, click here.
Media Inquiries
For media inquiries, please contact Greg Brooks at [email protected], or [email protected].