There is an old 20th century, Eastern European adage, “Give me the man,” it went. “And I will give you the case against him.” This phrase, though unclear who exactly said it first, defined the backward approach to “justice” in Eastern Europe at the time. Practically speaking, this approach resulted in the jailing of dissidents; a legal regime where those opposed to the politics of the time could be quietly, and permanently, jailed so as to no longer pose a threat to those in power. Unfortunately, this same philosophy also, apparently, defines Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s approach to the law as well. At a time when the streets of what was once the finest city in the world are now rife with unprecedented violence, Bragg’s primary concern is convicting the leading contender for President of the United States for the crime of being poised to win the 2024 Presidential election.

At the expense of long-standing American legal traditions and the rights of Americans to self-govern, Bragg followed through on the premeditated promise he made his far-left financiers to convict their political opponent. Bragg’s alleged commitment to the rule of law has been a facade from the beginning, as his tenure in office has been defined by his soft-on-crime policies. He has famously downgraded 52 percent of felony cases before him to misdemeanors. Bragg is not serious about holding lawbreakers accountable, only about being held in high regard by the most extreme factions of his party. He is an ambitious progressive who, alongside New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul, has ushered in one of the most violent eras in the city’s history. He is a partisan hack who is happy to disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans if it means he gets his 15 minutes of fame.

During my career as an NYPD Detective, I had the privilege of frequently interacting with judges and attorneys. I served as a witness in countless cases, testifying against violent criminals and working to ensure that they were kept off of the streets. I was part of routine court proceedings and complex ones. I celebrated with families of victims when justice was served, and grieved with them when violent criminals got off easy — a far too common occurrence in 2024’s New York. Nevertheless, I have never, in my entire career, witnessed a more obscene perversion of the law than the shameful stunt Bragg pulled off on Centre Street. Upholding the rule of law has been one of the highest honors of my career, and I know personally how important it is that no one individual be above the law. The only one involved in this entire show trial who seems to believe they are is Alvin Bragg. 

Bragg’s case, if one can call it that, hinges on a fringe legal theory that even the left-leaning New York Times admits has never been tried before. It is so fringe that Bragg’s Democratic predecessor, the Justice Department, and the Federal Election Commission declined to move it forward in the past. The alleged crime has no victim, and was allegedly committed over one decade ago. The case was handled by a judge who, in addition to donating to the defendant’s main political opponent in 2020, refused to allow critical testimony that would have helped President Trump’s case. A high-ranking, federal Biden official took a huge demotion just for the opportunity to work alongside Bragg in the unprecedented sham conviction of the leading candidate for President of the United States. Any of these important details on their own would be enough to render a ruling suspect, but all of them put together make it undeniably obvious: Bragg made a mockery of the rule of law, embarrassing himself, New York, and the United States, in the process. Bragg found the man, and engaged in the worst kind of mental and legal gymnastics to craft a case against him. Today, Bragg won. But in November, justice will prevail. 

As the Representative of New York’s 4th Congressional District, I was proud to endorse President Trump for re-election earlier this year. We know what a second Trump administration will bring about, because we’ve seen it before. We can anticipate a quickly secured Southern Border, record low costs for gas and groceries, and American strength abroad. These realities alone are enough to earn my support, especially insofar as they contrast with the realities of Biden’s failed leadership. However, it is now more important than ever that Republicans, at all levels and across all states, rally behind Donald Trump’s candidacy. Trump’s election this November is the biggest, best, and maybe the last opportunity Americans have to oppose the weaponization of the federal government. The longevity of the great American experiment is at risk if we begin to normalize political prosecutions in pursuit of political power. Americans must set aside minor differences in policies to tell ambitious progressives like Bragg that politically motivated prosecutions can not, and will not, become a reality in the United States of America. 

Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, a longtime NYPD detective, proudly represents New York’s 4th District in Congress. Prior to his time in Congress, he served as a Councilman for the town of Hempstead and as the Chief of the Island Park Fire Department, leading the volunteer organization through the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.