First Black Manhattan DA sworn in, to take over Trump case

Democrat Alvin Bragg was sworn in as the first Black Manhattan district attorney on Saturday and will now oversee a case previously presided over by former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. (D) regarding former President Trump’s business practices.

“I am honored by the trust placed in me, motivated by the challenge in front of us, and ready to work together—to make our communities safer, our city more just, and to deliver one standard of justice for all. #JusticeCantWait,” Bragg tweeted on Saturday, along with a photo of his swearing-in.

I am honored by the trust placed in me, motivated by the challenge in front of us, and ready to work together—to make our communities safer, our city more just, and to deliver one standard of justice for all. #JusticeCantWait pic.twitter.com/UR4fFAG0AB

— Alvin Bragg (@AlvinBraggNYC) January 1, 2022

In an interview with CNN in December, Bragg signaled that he would be engaged in and personally focused on the Trump case, telling reporter Kara Scannell that “this is obviously a consequential case, one that merits the attention of the DA personally.”

Bragg also said at the time that he would be keeping on attorneys Carey Dunne and Mark Pomerantz to continue their work in the investigation into the former president’s business practices.

“It’s hard for me to evaluate not knowing the facts, but just having worked on lots of investigations that are complex, I can say that you’ve got two very good lawyers that have been looking at it for a while. I think it would be a disservice to Manhattan to lose them,” he said, noting that he could add other people to the team investigating.

Earlier this year, New York prosecutors charged the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, with fraud and conspiracy, though both parties maintain they did not commit any wrongdoing. Weisselberg has already pleaded not guilty to those counts. 

Trump, who has so far not been charged in the probe, called the indictments against Weisselberg and the company a “political Witch Hunt.”