New York Attorney General Letitia James, who was indicted on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, said that she is a “fearless” person. Calling the charges of bank fraud “baseless,” James referred to a civil fraud lawsuit she successfully filed against President Donald Trump and his company for alleged fraudulent business practices, which resulted in a fine of approximately $465 million being overturned by an appeals court in August. The statement also mentioned the resignation of US Attorney Erik Siebert, who departed his position after President Trump criticised him for not bringing charges against James and former FBI Director James Comey. Comey was indicted last month following the appointment of US Attorney Lindsey Halligan, Axios reported. James said, “This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system. He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York State Attorney General.” She continued, “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.” Regarding Siebert, James said, “His decision to fire a United States Attorney who refused to bring charges against me—and replace them with someone who is blindly loyal not to the law, but to the president—is antithetical to the bedrock principles of our country.” She added, “This is the time for leaders on both sides of the aisle to speak out against this blatant perversion of our system of justice.” The Attorney General concluded, “I stand strongly behind my office’s litigation against the Trump Organization. We conducted a two-year investigation based on the facts and evidence—not politics. Judges have upheld the trial court’s finding that Donald Trump, his company, and his two sons are liable for fraud.” “I am a proud woman of faith, and I know that faith and fear cannot share the same space. And so today I am not fearful, I am fearless, and as my faith teaches me, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights. And I will continue to do my job.” In response, Halligan stated, “No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust. The facts and the law in this case are clear.”
Who is Letitia James?
Letitia “Tish” James is the 67th Attorney General for the state of New York. Elected in 2018, she became the first woman of colour to hold statewide office in New York and the first woman to be elected Attorney General. James brings decades of experience and a strong record of achievements to her role as a powerful and effective attorney. Prior to her current position, she was the public advocate for the City of New York. Elected in 2013, she became the first woman of colour to hold citywide office. During her tenure, her office passed more legislation than all previous public advocates combined, including a groundbreaking law that banned questions about salary history from the employment process to address the pervasive gender wage gap. Before serving as public advocate, James represented the 35th Council District in Brooklyn in the New York City Council for ten years. As a council member, she passed the Safe Housing Act, legislation that required landlords to improve living conditions for tenants in New York City’s worst buildings. Prior to her election to the City Council, James was head of the Brooklyn Regional Office of the New York State Attorney General’s Office. James began her career as a public defender at the Legal Aid Society. A proud Brooklynite, she is a graduate of Lehman College and Howard University School of Law.
