A top spokesman for New York's Department of Justice was caught on hidden camera sharply criticizing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's recent prosecution of former President Donald Trump, accusing Bragg of waging a “legal war” solely to satisfy his own political ambitions.
Nicholas Beers, the chief spokesman for the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office, was secretly recorded blasting progressive prosecutors in a recent conversation with a so-called undercover agent for conservative podcaster Steven Crowder's Mug Club.
“I honestly think this whole thing is nonsense,” Bierce was filmed telling an unidentified woman at what appeared to be a bar on July 31.
An edited clip and another from August 14th, Released by Crowder The identity of the woman who secretly recorded the exchange with Mr. Baise on social media on Thursday has not been made public, and The Washington Post has not reviewed the full, unedited recording.
Bias, who said he has known Bragg for 15 years and previously worked with him at the SDNY, also described the unprecedented hush money lawsuit against Trump as a “perversion of justice” in the video.
He also argued that high-profile prosecutors pursued the case to gain prestige and assume higher office.
“He wants to be something … mayor? I don't know what he wants to be, but I do know he's not content with just being the district attorney of New York County. Did you know who he was before you decided to indict Trump? Now you do,” he said in the video.
Bias apologized to The Washington Post in a statement on Thursday, saying he made the comments in a private setting with someone he had “just met” and was trying to “impress.”
In the video, Bias accused Bragg of “pile on crime.” [against Trump] And then kind of rearrange things to fit the case.”
Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with payments he made to porn actresses before the 2016 election and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 18.
“This guy is probably going to try and lock him up. [Trump] “It's going to happen. And it's going to get ugly,” Bierce said, referring to Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Marchan, who is presiding over the case.
“They are so determined to get him. [Trump]” he continued.
When asked who “they” meant, Bias retorted, “The Democrats…If he's a convicted felon, it affects his candidacy.”
But a spokesman said the apparent ploy backfired.
“These felonies did nothing to stop Trump from running…. [Trump] “It makes it more relevant,” Bias said in the recording.
Bias then appeared to refer to a separate civil fraud case against Trump brought by state Attorney General Letitia James, in which the former president was convicted of inflating the values of assets to obtain bank loans.
“All the real estate agents in New York [Trump] “I did it. No one has ever been charged with anything like this… This is a perversion of justice,” he was filmed saying.
Bias also slammed the entire state-level judicial system, calling it a “lawless place.”
“At the federal level, where I work, we have a rule that no decisions can be made on cases affecting elections for 90 days. [within 90 days of an election]” he said.
“That rule doesn't apply at the state level because the state level is like the Wild West… They're stupid. They don't care. They're all political.”
Meanwhile, Bias called the state-level prosecution of Trump by another Democrat, Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis, a “travesty of justice.”
Trump and 18 co-defendants were indicted last year on charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
“This is a mockery of justice, to say the least. She's a joke… the whole thing is disgusting. They're just trying to get him [Trump]”About Willis, Bias said:
Bias later apologized for his comments, telling The Washington Post on Thursday that he “should have known better.”
“I recently became aware of a video in which I made statements during a private social setting that unfortunately do not reflect my views on the two prosecutions, one local and one state,” he said in a statement.
“I said these things in an attempt to please and impress someone I just met who was secretly filming me. I deeply apologize to the local and state law enforcement officers working on these issues. They deserve much more respect than I showed them. I should have known better.”
Bias was promoted to his current role in 2021 by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damien Williams.
At the time, Williams described him as “a key liaison to offices in the media capital of the world.” [and] He was a trusted confidant and confidant to every U.S. Attorney he ever served with.”
Williams added that Bierce was “respected by the press for his professionalism, honesty and candor.”
The Washington Post reached out to the Manhattan district attorney's office about the secret recordings but did not immediately receive a response.
