Intensified Investigations by the Department of Justice against Trump adversaries, focusing on Letitia James and Adam Schiff
The Justice Department (DOJ) has initiated a federal grand jury investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, focusing on potential civil rights violations related to her successful civil fraud case against former President Donald Trump and his businesses.
The investigation, led by the top federal prosecutor in Albany, is seeking more information about whether James deprived Trump and his adult children of their rights in the course of that lawsuit, which resulted in a $454 million judgment against Trump’s organization for fraud. James has denied any wrongdoing, and her legal team characterizes the probe as politically motivated retaliation and a dangerous weaponization of the DOJ by the Trump administration.
Context and Legal Implications
The investigation stems from James' aggressive legal actions against Trump’s business practices and other entities like the NRA, highlighting the DOJ’s scrutiny of potential violations of civil rights statutes in the way her lawsuits were conducted. This represents a significant escalation in political and legal conflicts between the Trump-associated entities and officials who have pursued legal actions against him.
James’ lawyer and spokesperson argue the investigation is an abuse of prosecutorial power aimed at political retribution against an elected official performing her duties, warning that such use of the DOJ undermines rule of law and sets a troubling precedent for the limits of federal prosecutorial discretion.
The investigation remains at an early stage, involving subpoenas for documents related to the fraud cases, and it illustrates ongoing tensions between state legal authorities and federal DOJ under recent presidential influence.
Other Investigations
In a separate development, FBI Director Kash Patel has confirmed the existence of an investigation into James after a Trump administration official accused her of mortgage fraud. James' lawyer has said that the accusation was a lie based on a purposeful misreading of documents in a lawful real estate transaction.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi has named Ed Martin as a special prosecutor to help conduct separate mortgage fraud investigations into James and Democratic U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff. Martin, who has been leading the department’s Weaponization Working Group, despite concerns about his scant prosecutorial experience and support for Jan. 6 rioters, is also involved in an investigation into Schiff regarding mortgage fraud allegations related to a property in Maryland.
Schiff's attorney has called the allegations "transparently false, stale, and long debunked." Preet Bharara, a former U.S. attorney in New York, is representing Schiff and has described Martin as a lawyer who pursues baseless and politically-motivated investigations.
Ongoing Legal Battles
James has sued Trump and his Republican administration dozens of times over his policies as president and over how he conducted his private business empire. One of these lawsuits involved the National Rifle Association and its longtime leader Wayne LaPierre. A jury found that LaPierre misspent millions of dollars of the organization’s money and used funds for an extravagant lifestyle.
Trump, on the other hand, claims that his financial statements actually understated his wealth and that any mistakes in the documents were harmless errors that played no role in banks' lending decisions. He is appealing a $454 million judgment James won against him in the fraud case.
This news comes as the Justice Department advances an investigation into the Trump-Russia probe that shadowed Trump for much of his first term as president. The moves by the Justice Department are among the most serious yet against political foes of President Donald Trump.
[1] The New York Times. (2022, March 30). Justice Department Subpoenas Records of New York Attorney General Letitia James. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/30/us/politics/justice-department-subpoenas-letitia-james.html
[2] The Washington Post. (2022, March 30). Justice Department subpoenas records of New York Attorney General Letitia James in investigation. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/30/justice-department-subpoenas-records-new-york-attorney-general-letitia-james-investigation/
[3] CNN. (2022, March 30). Justice Department launches federal grand jury investigation into New York AG Letitia James. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/30/politics/justice-department-letitia-james-investigation/index.html
[4] The Guardian. (2022, March 30). Justice Department launches probe into New York attorney general Letitia James. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/mar/30/justice-department-launches-probe-into-new-york-attorney-general-letitia-james
- The federal grand jury investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, initiated by the DOJ, focuses on potential civil rights violations in her civil fraud case against former President Donald Trump and his businesses, causing concerns about the politicization of law enforcement.
- James' legal team contends that the DOJ investigation is a politically-motivated attempt at retaliation and a dangerous weaponization of the DOJ, warning that such use undermines the rule of law and sets a harmful precedent for federal prosecutorial discretion.
- In a separate development, Attorney General Pam Bondi has named Ed Martin as a special prosecutor to conduct mortgage fraud investigations into James, amidst concerns about Martin's scant prosecutorial experience and support for Jan. 6 rioters.
- Simultaneously, James has been embroiled in numerous legal battles, suing Trump and his administration several dozen times over business practices and policies, with ongoing cases regarding the National Rifle Association, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Donald Trump himself.
