DOJ Takes Aim At NY AG Letitia James, Claiming She Violated Trump’s Civil Rights
The Justice Department is openly targeting New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleging she violated Trump’s civil rights.
According to AP, the DOJ has subpoenaed James’ office for records related to the $454 million civil judgment she won against Trump in a civil fraud case—one that found he lied about his wealth before becoming president. A second subpoena seeks documents related to her separate lawsuit against the National Rifle Association.
A grand jury investigation in Albany, New York, has also been convened to examine whether James engaged in “deprivation of rights,” according to CNN. The Justice Department has remained tight-lipped on both the subpoenas and the grand jury investigation, declining to comment to multiple outlets.
The scrutiny began months before the subpoenas.
From AP:
In an April 14 letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi asking for an investigation, U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte cited “media reports” claiming James had falsely listed a home in Virginia as her principal residence, which he hypothesized was an effort to avoid the higher interest rates people often pay for mortgages on second homes.
Last week, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Ed Martin—a Trump loyalist, conservative activist and proud “Stop the Steal” supporter—as a special prosecutor in a mortgage fraud investigation involving James.
James has characterized the attacks on her as politically motivated and denied any wrongdoing. Her attorney, Abbe D. Lowell, also criticized Trump and his DOJ.
“Investigating the fraud case Attorney General James won against President Trump and his businesses has to be the most blatant and desperate example of this administration’s carrying out the president’s political retribution campaign,” he told CNN.
He added, “Weaponizing the Department of Justice to try to punish an elected official for doing her job is an attack on the rule of law and a dangerous escalation by this administration. If prosecutors carry out this improper tactic and are genuinely interested in the truth, we are ready and waiting with the facts and law.”
The through-line here isn’t hard to spot.
As previously reported by NewsOne, in 2022, James spearheaded investigations into various aspects of Trump’s financial dealings, ranging from tax fraud, deceptive business practices, and other potential legal violations connected to his businesses. The lawsuit aimed to hold Trump and his organization accountable for years of financial fraud and illegal conduct, culminating in a major victory in early February 2024.
In a landmark ruling, Judge Arthur Engoron ordered former President Trump to pay $355 million in damages after being found guilty of engaging in fraudulent business practices spanning decades. With interest included, the total penalty rose to over $450 million.
Now that Trump is back in power, he appears to be using the machinery of the federal government to target those who tried to hold him accountable.
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