New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the high-profile civil fraud case against President Donald Trump, was indicted Thursday in Alexandria, Virginia, on two felony counts of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. The charges stem from a 2023 mortgage she obtained to purchase a home in Norfolk, Virginia-an investigation critics call the latest example of the Justice Department's politicization under Trump's administration.
According to the indictment, James claimed on her mortgage paperwork that the Norfolk residence would serve as her second home, securing favorable loan terms unavailable for investment properties. Prosecutors allege she later rented the property to tenants and received improper gains of $18,933. Her first court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 24 in Norfolk.
James denied wrongdoing, describing the case as "nothing more than a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system." In a statement, she said, "These charges are baseless, and the president's own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost." She added, "The president's actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties."
The indictment follows months of escalating political pressure from the White House. Last month, CNN reported that prosecutors in Virginia had not found sufficient evidence to charge James. Erik Siebert, the U.S. attorney leading the investigation, resigned shortly after Trump publicly demanded indictments against both James and former FBI Director James Comey. Trump's former personal attorney, Lindsey Halligan, was later appointed as U.S. attorney and announced the charges Thursday. "No one is above the law," Halligan said. "The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public's trust."
James, 66, a Democrat from Brooklyn, rose to national prominence by successfully suing Trump, his adult sons, and the Trump Organization for inflating property values. A state judge initially ordered Trump to pay $355 million in penalties, later reduced on appeal. During the trial, Trump lashed out at James, testifying, "This is a political witch hunt and I think she should be ashamed of herself."
New York Democrats swiftly rallied to James's defense. Gov. Kathy Hochul posted on X that "what we're seeing today is nothing less than the weaponization of the Justice Department to punish those who hold the powerful accountable." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said James "has courageously been at the forefront of successfully challenging the Trump administration's lawless and deeply unpopular over-reach." He added, "At all times, she has followed the facts, applied the law and been guided by the Constitution."
New York Republicans echoed the Justice Department's stance. Rep. Elise Stefanik said, "For years, Letitia James has illegally weaponized her office to conduct a political witch hunt against Democrats' political opponents, most notably President Donald J. Trump." U.S. Attorney Halligan reiterated that her office would "continue following them [the facts and law] to ensure that justice is served."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer denounced the charges as politically motivated. "This is what tyranny looks like," he said in a post, accusing Trump of "using the Justice Department as his personal attack dog, targeting Attorney General Tish James for the 'crime' of prosecuting him for fraud - and winning."
