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Lawmakers reacted sharply Thursday to the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James on bank fraud charges, with Democrats calling it a politically motivated act of revenge by President Donald Trump.
A federal grand jury in Virginia charged James with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. The indictment centers on James’ purchase of a home in Norfolk. Prosecutors allege she falsely claimed it as a second residence to secure better loan terms before leasing it to tenants. James has denied wrongdoing, describing the charges as “political retribution.”
“These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost,” James said in a statement.
James, a longtime Trump adversary, previously sued the president’s business empire for civil fraud and won a nearly $500 million judgment.
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Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said James faces up to 30 years in prison per count, up to a $1 million fine on each count and forfeiture if she’s convicted.
“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,” Halligan said. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”
In a statement, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said James has weaponized her office to go after Trump and his allies.
“Her hypocrisy is profound as she campaigned on the mantra that ‘no one is above the law,’ yet she now faces allegations of committing the very type of financial misrepresentation she baselessly pursued against President Trump,” Stefanik said.
“I have spearheaded congressional efforts to expose James’ abuses over the past several years through ethics complaints, bar complaints, public demands for investigations and oversight exposing her corruption”.
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Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., noted James’ past statement that “no one is above the law.”
“Today, Leti[t]ia James was indicted for bank fraud regarding a mortgage loan,” she wrote on X.
Democrats rallied to her defense, accusing Trump of abusing his power.
“The politically motivated indictment of Attorney General Letitia James is an abuse of power — a weaponization of government — at its most outrageous and egregious,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y. “Rather than addressing the grocery and utility bills crushing American families, Donald Trump remains pathologically preoccupied with his personal enemies list.”
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., called the charges a “blatant abuse of power,” while New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the case amounted to “nothing less than the weaponization of the Justice Department.”
New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani praised James as “a champion for justice,” saying Trump’s actions showed “fascist tactics — prosecuting his opponents, weaponizing the federal government and attacking the very fabric of our democracy.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Trump was using the Justice Department as his “personal attack dog.”
“This is what tyranny looks like,” Schumer said. “President Trump is targeting Attorney General Tish James for the ‘crime’ of prosecuting him for fraud — and winning. This isn’t justice. It’s revenge.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, called the indictment “political weaponization of our courts, plain and simple — and proof that when you stand up to corruption, they come for you.”
James’ initial court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 24 in Norfolk, Virginia.
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