America First Legal (AFL) has initiated the second phase of its investigation into alleged improper collusion by the Biden White House and the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the trial of former President Donald Trump. This trial, conducted by Alvin Bragg, the New York County District Attorney’s Office, and Judge Juan Merchan, has been labeled a "political show trial" by AFL.
As part of this phase, AFL has filed a lawsuit against the DOJ to obtain records related to Matthew Colangelo. Colangelo is described as a key figure in what AFL terms a politically motivated prosecution of Trump in Manhattan. In December 2022, Bragg reportedly hired Colangelo due to his history with investigations involving Trump and his family business. Prior to this role, Colangelo held senior positions at both the DOJ and the New York Attorney General’s Office.
Additionally, AFL has submitted three new Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. These requests aim to uncover details about the relationships between Colangelo, Klapper, the Biden White House, Special Counsel Smith, and the New York County District Attorney.
AFL alleges that previous efforts such as the "Russia collusion" investigation were deep state operations intended to interfere with Trump's presidency. The organization asserts that transparency is needed regarding these current allegations to inform the public about potential political interference.
Reed D. Rubinstein, Senior Vice President of America First Legal, stated: “The United States Department of Justice’s job is to check an unscrupulous local prosecutor’s abuse of authority, not facilitate it. But there are troubling indications that political partisans within the Department actively helped lay the foundation for and advance the New York District Attorney’s sham show trial of President Trump. AFL will relentlessly work to ensure the transparency and accountability needed to protect the Department’s integrity and to preserve what’s left of the public’s trust in this most critical of our federal institutions.”