For several months the two cases have been run in tandem, with the prosecutorial teams working closely together. Should the criminal investigation of Trump and his family business collapse, that still leaves the civil investigation that is being conducted by the New York state attorney general, Letitia James. As a criminal proceeding, the standard of proof is high – not only would Trump have to be found guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt” but prosecutors would have to show that he willfully committed the crime – hard to do in cases of alleged financial fraud. It was always going to be a tough call whether or not to pursue Trump all the way to court. Prosecutors were aware that the clock is running down as the present grand jury’s term comes to an end in April. Whatever Bragg decides to do in the coming days and weeks, it is clear that his office has been under mounting pressure recently as the inquiry reached a critical stage. The newspaper reports that a grand jury convened under the Manhattan investigation as the first step towards indicting the former president has gone silent for the past month, with no witnesses called before it.Īnonymous sources told the Times that Bragg, who took over the investigation when he began as DA in January, had indicated that he was uncertain about taking the case to the next level. The statement also insisted that the investigation into Trump finances was “ongoing”. They said in a statement that they were “grateful for their service”. The Manhattan district attorney’s office confirmed to the Guardian that Dunne and Pomerantz had resigned. According to the New York Times, the two top prosecutors on the case, Carey Dunne and Mark Pomerantz, quit the proceedings amid signs that the move on Trump is stalling as it reaches a make-or-break moment.