Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's restraining order against Jim Jordan declined by judge, will go to hearing

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's request for a restraining order against Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) was declined by a judge on Tuesday. The judge ordered Bragg to send the material to Jordan by 9 p.m. Wednesday so the court could have a hearing on the situation on April 19.

Bragg requested the order in an attempt to block Jordan from interfering in the Stormy Daniels hush money case that former President Donald Trump was charged in last week. Jordan has subpoenaed an investigator previously involved in the case.

The lawsuit was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday. The hearing to determine whether the restraining order against Jordan takes effect is scheduled for April 19 at 2 p.m. in Courtroom 18C of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse.

Bragg filed for a restraining order against the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee "in response to an unprecedentedly brazen and unconstitutional attack by members of Congress."

Lawyers for Bragg are seeking to block a subpoena of Mark Pomerantz, who led the investigation into Trump for the district attorney before he resigned over disagreements with Bragg. The lawsuit said that "Congress has no power to supervise state criminal prosecution" and Jordan is intervening in matters outside of his scope for oversight.

"Chairman Jordan’s demands, including his subpoena to Mr. Pomerantz, seek highly sensitive and confidential local prosecutorial information that belongs to the Office of the District Attorney and the People of New York," the lawsuit said. "Basic principles of federalism and common sense, as well as binding Supreme Court precedent, forbid Congress from demanding it."

The lawsuit also looks to prevent Jordan from issuing future subpoenas against Bragg or "any of his current or former employees or officials."

Jordan and other House Republicans have been conducting an investigation into Bragg's office and have sent requests and subpoenas for documents and testimony from people connected to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. The investigation was sparked by the indictment of Trump last month by a Manhattan grand jury.

The Ohio Republican reacted to the lawsuit in a tweet, saying Bragg was blocking congressional oversight of federal funds used to investigate Trump.

More at: https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fcourts%2Fmanhattan-da-alvin-bragg-suing-jim-jordan-trump-case

Like nobody saw this coming…

Commercial Real Estate Struggles As Work-From-Home And High-Interest Rates Take A Toll

Commercial Real Estate (CRE) includes, among others, office buildings, data centers, hotels, apartment complexes, warehouses, industrial properties, retail spaces, and malls.

The U.S. commercial real estate sector is valued at $20 trillion. The total amount of commercial real estate loans outstanding is approximately $4.5 trillion, with a loan-to-value ratio of 25%. Mortgage Bankers Association data shows that banks hold the largest share of the debt, accounting for 39%.

CRE faces a perfect storm because of a combination of factors, including the rise of work-from-home jobs, rising interest rates, and the weakness of the banking system. There is a real fear that some of the iconic buildings that have become synonymous with cities and the face of commercial hubs may face changing fortunes.

Work From Home/Hybrid

A recent IBD/TIPP Poll found that 60% of American workers only work on-site, 19% only work from home (WFH), and 21% do a combination of both.

As the WFH and hybrid work trends continue, many companies are finding that they need less office space. To cut costs amid high-interest rates, some businesses are resorting to layoffs and expense reductions such as giving up office space or downsizing. Remote work option also allows companies to move to less expensive or volatile real estate markets. Many have shifted to Tier 2 cities, less costly states, or even the suburbs to cut down on overheads.

More at: https://tippinsights.com/commercial-real-estate-struggles-aswork-from-home-and-high-interest-rates-take-a-toll/

Middle School Announces It Will Fly Transgender Pride Flag Year Round

Hackensack Middle School announced the “Pride Inclusive Flag Raising Ceremony” on Twitter.

The “inclusive” pride flag does not just feature the rainbow, but also includes a triangular emblem with the colors white, blue, and pink, which symbolize transgenderism.

The flag raising ceremony was also celebrated by It Gets Better, a pro-trans non profit that seeks to “empower … lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth around the globe.”

The organization wrote an article celebrating the win for leftist gender theory in schools, which read, “The GSA at Hackensack Middle School helped write a resolution with the school district’s superintendent to keep the inclusive Pride flag raised year round, not just during Pride Month. The resolution passed with full support from the Board of Education.”

The article also contends, “The symbolism of the flag’s permanency is clear — our identities are valid and here to stay, no matter what the ignorant wish to say about it.”

Meanwhile, one tweet from the school library’s media center reads “Last week we celebrated pronoun pride by leading a button making activity with the GSA,” in reference to the Gay Straight Alliance, a club at the school. One button reads, “My pronouns are they/them,” while another reads “ask me about my pronouns.”

More at: https://media.breitbart.com/media/2019/01/trans-flag-getty-640x480.jpg

Dem Governor Who Shut Down Churches During COVID Ordered To Pay Over $270,000 In Attorney’s Fees

A federal appeals court ruled Monday that three individuals who sued the Kentucky governor for their right to assemble for worship during COVID-19 must be paid over $270,000 in attorney’s fees.

Randall Daniel, Theodore Roberts, and Sally O’Boyle sued in August 2020 after they received notices logging their attendance at Maryville Baptist Church’s Easter Service and informing them they must quarantine or face “further enforcement measures.” The group alleged Democratic Governor Andrew Beshear’s bans on religious gatherings and interstate travel violated their constitutional rights, which the Sixth Circuit affirmed in May 2020, according to court documents.

On Monday, the Sixth Circuit upheld a district court ruling awarding the congregants $272,142.50 in attorney’s fees, rejecting the governor’s challenges.

“I know a lot of people who are outraged that the TAXPAYER is on the hook for ANDY’S constitutional violation,” said Roberts in a tweet. “I share this outrage, but this outrage must be aimed at Beshear. If the people of Kentucky want to quit being taxed to pay for these court judgments, Kentucky MUST elect a governor who will actually follow the constitution.”

Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie responded to the ruling on Monday, congratulating attorney Chris Wiest and TJ Roberts on the win.

.@GovAndyBeshear infringed civil rights when he shut down churches.

Then he wasted tax dollars defending his behavior.

Now he’s been ordered to pay a quarter of a million dollars in plaintiffs attorneys’ fees.

Congrats @realTJRoberts and @ChrisWiest11https://t.co/02X55EQxBJ pic.twitter.com/W4hUXaxNAC

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 10, 2023

The Sixth Circuit previously barred the governor from enforcing a prohibition on in-person services, disputing the lower court’s ruling which upheld the ban. (RELATED: The GOP Could Flip Two Democratic-Held Governor Seats)

“[The] unexplained breadth of the ban on religious services, together with its haven for numerous secular exceptions, cannot co-exist with a society that places religious freedom in a place of honor in the Bill of Rights: the First Amendment,” the court found in May 2020.

More at: https://dailycaller.com/2023/04/11/governor-shut-down-church-pay-fee-kentucky-andrew-beshear/