3 weeks ago
8
New York Attorney General Letitia James, the Democrat who led the landmark civilian fraud lawsuit against President Donald Trump, has been indicted by a national expansive assemblage successful Virginia connected charges of owe fraud.
The indictment, confirmed Thursday by aggregate US media outlets, including CNN and The Washington Post, marks a stunning crook successful the long-running feud betwixt Trump and immoderate of his astir salient critics.
According to reports, the 66-year-old James was accused of committing owe fraud successful transportation with a spot she allegedly helped her niece acquisition successful Virginia successful 2023. The lawsuit was brought by Lindsey Halligan, the US lawyer for the Eastern District of Virginia, appointed by President Trump aft the resignation of her predecessor, Erik Siebert.
Siebert reportedly stepped down aft telling Justice Department leaders determination was insufficient grounds to complaint James oregon erstwhile FBI Director James Comey, different longtime Trump antagonist.
The Washington Post reported that Halligan personally presented the lawsuit to the expansive assemblage successful Alexandria, Virginia, which returned the indictment connected Thursday.
“This is simply a vindictive and selective prosecution,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, lawyer for James Comey, who was indicted a time earlier connected unrelated charges of making mendacious statements to Congress and obstruction.
Comey, 64, pleaded not blameworthy connected Wednesday, with a proceedings day acceptable for January 5. He faces up to 5 years successful situation if convicted.
Trump, who returned to the White House earlier this year, has repeatedly called for prosecutions of those helium viewed arsenic governmental enemies, including James, Comey, Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, and erstwhile National Security Adviser John Bolton.
“Attorney General Pam Bondi should instrumentality enactment against these corrupt officials,” Trump said recently, successful what observers described arsenic a wide awesome of his intent to punish critics done the ineligible system.
Letitia James roseate to nationalist prominence aft bringing a civilian fraud suit against Trump and his existent property empire, alleging that helium had inflated his nett worthy to unafraid favourable loans and security terms. A New York justice initially ordered Trump to wage $464 cardinal successful penalties, though a higher tribunal aboriginal paused the fiscal judgement portion upholding the halfway of the case.
The indictment against James has sparked crisp statement crossed Washington, with critics calling it a politically motivated retaliation.
“This is not justness — it’s retribution,” a Democratic lawmaker told The Washington Post, accusing the Trump medication of weaponising the Justice Department.
Since taking bureau successful January, President Trump has embarked connected what analysts described arsenic a sweeping run of governmental payback, purging officials deemed disloyal, targeting instrumentality firms progressive successful erstwhile cases against him, and cutting national backing to respective universities perceived arsenic hostile to his administration.
The Justice Department has not issued an authoritative connection connected the charges against Letitia James, who remains successful bureau arsenic New York’s lawyer general. Her ineligible squad has not yet commented publically on the indictment.
English (US) ·