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A grand jury has officially declined to reindict New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: Earlier this year, the DOJ announced charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, accusing her of bank fraud and making false statements related to a 2020 home purchase in Virginia. Prosecutors alleged that James misrepresented the property as a second home rather than an investment, securing a more favorable mortgage rate and potentially saving nearly $19,000 over the life of the loan. However, the case was thrown out by US District Judge Cameron Currie, who ruled that Lindsey Halligan (the acting US attorney who brought the indictment) had been unlawfully appointed, rendering the charges invalid. Despite this dismissal, the DOJ vowed to reseat a grand jury and pursue a new indictment under different prosecutors.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, a newly seated grand jury in Norfolk, Virginia has officially rejected the Justice Department’s attempt to reindict Letitia James on the same charges. This time, prosecutors (including a federal attorney brought in from Missouri) re-presented allegations tied to her 2020 mortgage application, hoping a fresh panel would see grounds for prosecution. But after a brief session, jurors returned a “no bill,” meaning they found insufficient evidence to move forward.
The failure has reignited criticism over what some argue is the politicization of federal law enforcement under Trump’s DOJ. The original charges were pursued only after career prosecutors declined to bring the case, and after Trump forced out the US attorney who resisted political pressure. Critics argue that James was targeted not for alleged misconduct, but for her own aggressive legal pursuit of Trump.
Despite this, some argue that Letitia James should still be held accountable, insisting that her actions regarding the Virginia home loan were unethical and that “no one” including the AG is “above the law.” They also reject claims that Trump weaponized the DOJ, calling it ironic in light of their belief that President Biden’s DOJ was used to target Trump with multiple indictments in an effort to derail his 2024 campaign.
