House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan issued a final warning letter on Friday to the lawyer representing Michael Nellis, CEO of a political consulting firm that employs the daughter of New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who is presiding over former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial.
The Daily Caller exclusively obtained a copy of the letter, which follows Jordan’s subpoena to Nellis in late August. The subpoena sought information on any possible cooperation between Nellis’s firm and those involved in prosecuting Trump, but Nellis failed to comply with the committee’s requests. Loren Merchan, the judge’s daughter, serves as president of Authentic Campaigns, a firm that represents Democrats including California Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead prosecutor in Trump’s first impeachment. Jordan also noted that the firm has received $9 million from Democratic campaigns, including $2 million from the Biden-Harris campaign in 2020.
“On August 28, 2024, the Committee on the Judiciary issued your client, Michael Nellis, a subpoena for two categories of documents relating to the Committee’s oversight of the Manhattan District Attorney’s political prosecution of President Trump. On the subpoena’s return date, September 13, 2024, you sent a letter on Mr. Nellis’s behalf outlining your objections to the subpoena,” Jordan wrote in the letter.
In his August correspondence, Jordan requested that Nellis testify in a deposition and sign an affidavit confirming that his firm has had no communication with Judge Merchan. Nellis previously dismissed the investigation as “absurd and completely false.”
“However, this has not stopped MAGA world conspiracy theorists from harassing our employees and sending death threats to some of our families,” Nellis wrote in response.
In the latest letter, Jordan reiterated that the committee is entitled to the information under subpoena and that this does not infringe upon the First Amendment.
“These objections mirror concerns that your client has raised, and the Committee has addressed, in previous correspondence. The objections to the subpoena are unfounded and unpersuasive, and do not excuse your client’s noncompliance with the subpoena. The Committee writes to overrule your objections and to provide Mr. Nellis a final opportunity to comply with the subpoena,” Jordan stated.
Jordan further raised concerns about potential false statements, citing recent campaign filings from the Harris campaign that contradict previous statements made by Nellis to the committee. Jordan warned that providing false information is a criminal offense under Section 1001 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code.
Jordan has demanded a response from Nellis and his attorney by 9:00 a.m. on October 11.
