New York Democrats rally around Letitia James after indictment Trump pressure – New York Democrats rallied around state Attorney General Letitia James after she was indicted in federal court. The indictment, returned Oct. 9, charges James committed bank fraud linked to a mortgage in acquiring a Virginia house. President Donald Trump, whom James sued in 2022, advocated for her to face charges just weeks prior.
James, a 66-year-old Brooklyn Democrat, said she was not terrified of what she called “baseless claims.” Her allies in Albany, Washington, D.C, and New York City were equally powerful. “What we’re seeing today is nothing less than the weaponization of the Justice Department to punish those who hold the powerful accountable,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an X post.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a fellow Democrat from Brooklyn, said James has “courageously been at the forefront of successfully challenging the Trump administration’s lawless and deeply unpopular over-reach.” “At all times, she has followed the facts, applied the law and been guided by the Constitution,” Jeffries said in a statement. New York Democrats rally around Letitia James after indictment Trump pressure
‘No one is above the law,’ state GOP says
New York Republicans, meanwhile, reiterated what U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, of the Eastern District of Virginia, remarked in announcing the charges: “No one is above the law.” “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,” said U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, an upstate New York Republican who is opposing Hochul for governor.
Three years previously, James had sued Trump, his businesses, and parts of his family, alleging they illegally exaggerated the worth of his assets for better loan and insurance terms. A state judge agreed, ordering Trump to pay a penalty of about $454 million. A Manhattan-based appeals court deemed the sanctions unlawful but kept certain commercial limitations in place. James had appealed that ruling.
In September, Erik Siebert, the former U.S. attorney for Virginia’s eastern district, had apparently judged there wasn’t enough evidence to pursue charges against James. Siebert resigned when Trump called to remove him. Halligan, the president’s previous personal counsel, shortly succeeded Siebert. “This is what tyranny looks like,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Brooklyn Democrat, said in an X post. “President Trump is using the Justice Department as his personal attack dog, targeting Attorney General Tish James for the ‘crime’ of prosecuting him for fraud — and winning.”
NY Dems’ response differs from Mayor Eric Adams’ prosecution
New York Democrats’ haste to protect James stood in sharp contrast to their handling of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ federal prosecution. Adams was prosecuted on corruption charges in 2024 by federal prosecutors during the Biden administration; however, the mayor vehemently contested the accusations. His Democratic colleagues demanded his departure, especially following the Trump administration’s decision to drop the charges. New York Democrats rally around Letitia James after indictment Trump pressure
The case led to the resignation of federal prosecutors, similar to James’ prosecution. However, in Adams’ case, the prosecutors stepped down due to what they perceived as a deal to dismiss criminal charges if Adams would help with immigration enforcement. There was supposedly an agreement to dismiss Adams’ complaint, but he denies it.
When USA TODAY asked for comment from City Hall regarding the James indictment, no one came through right away. Her conviction is announced with little over a month to go before the mayoral race in New York City on November 4th. Adams just withdrew his improbable re-election campaign.
When Andrew Cuomo, a former Democratic governor, was accused of sexual harassment by numerous women, James had looked into his candidacy for mayor as an independent. A Cuomo campaign representative didn’t immediately respond to an email request for comment. State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, the anticipated mayoral frontrunner and the Democratic contender, stood by James’ side against what he called “baseless charges” for “political retribution.” “The Attorney General has had our back, time and again,” he added in a statement. “We have hers.” New York Democrats rally around Letitia James after indictment Trump pressure
About the Author
