For the second time, a grand jury refused to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, rejecting a mortgage fraud case pushed by President Donald Trump, according to a source familiar with the matter, The Associated Press reports.
The rejection follows the earlier dismissal of charges against James and former FBI Director James Comey, marking a serious setback for the Justice Department and a blow to Trump’s efforts to target political rivals.
A judge tossed the original indictments in November, ruling that Lindsey Halligan, the prosecutor who brought the case, was illegally appointed as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Halligan, a former Trump lawyer with no prosecutorial experience, had been installed amid public pressure from Trump to go after his critics.
James, who bought a modest Norfolk home in 2020, has called the prosecution politically motivated and denied wrongdoing. Prosecutors claimed she violated a “second home rider” by renting the property rather than using it personally.
After last week’s Norfolk grand jury refusal, James’ attorney said, “This should be the end of the case.” He added, “If they continue, undeterred by a court ruling and a grand jury’s rejection of the charges, it will be a shocking assault on the rule of law and a devastating blow to the integrity of our justice system.”
The cases against James and Comey have heightened concerns that the Trump administration is weaponizing the Justice Department against political enemies. With judicial rulings and grand juries repeatedly blocking the prosecutions, the department faces mounting embarrassment and legal obstacles
