New York Attorney General Letitia James has been indicted on fraud charges brought by a former Trump aide turned federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia.
James successfully prosecuted Trump and his organization for fraud in 2024. The case resulted in Trump being ordered to pay a $500 million penalty. That penalty was overturned on appeal, yet the ruling of liability still stands.
After a former special prosecutor chosen by Trump to investigate James quit due to pressure to find a reason to charge her.
Lindsey Halligan, a former Trump aide, was chosen to replace the former prosecutor. Up to now, Halligan has never worked as a federal prosecutor. CNN reported that Halligan did not consult with the Department of Justice before presenting the case to the Grand Jury herself.
James issued a statement calling the indictment baseless and, “nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.”
“These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost. The president’s actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties,” she said.
She also noted that the decision to replace the former prosecutor with a lawyer who is “blindly loyal” to Trump and said she stands by her prosecution of Trump, as it was based on evidence, not politics.
Halligan also secured an indictment against James Comey late last month after Trump urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to go after his political foes.
Abbe Lowell, James’ lawyer and the attorney representing multiple Trump targets, said that James categorically denies the allegations against her. He also took aim at Trump’s desire for revenge.
“We are deeply concerned that this case is driven by President Trump’s desire for revenge,” Lowell said in a statement. “When a President can publicly direct charges to be filed against someone — when it was reported that career attorneys concluded none were warranted — it marks a serious attack on the rule of law. We will fight these charges in every process allowed in the law.”
James is scheduled to be in court on the charges on October 24.
