I’m not afraid: Letitia James pleads not guilty to fraud charges
On Friday, inside a federal court in Virginia, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), who successfully processed In a civil suit against President Donald Trump for defrauding bankers of his net worth so he could obtain better loan terms, he pleaded not guilty to allegations of bank fraud and making false statements.
“Not guilty, judge, on both counts,” James said in court on Friday, according to CNN.
He charges against James were introduced after the president publicly demanded U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is pursuing James and other longtime Trump critics, including former FBI Director James Comey and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). comey was accused in September and pleaded not guilty; Schiff has not yet been charged, but he has under investigation for alleged mortgage fraud by Trump’s Justice Department since August. NBC reported Thursday, however, that the investigation into Schiff has stalled and that sources say there is simply not enough credible information to prosecute the senator. Another Trump critic, former national security adviser John Bolton, was indicted on 18 counts earlier this month for allegedly withholding classified materials. Bolton pleaded not guilty.
As for James, the charges against her were only filed after a Trump-appointed prosecutor in Virginia, Erik Siebert, was ousted from office in September, allegedly because he did not believe the case against Comey or James was strong enough. He was replaced by Trump’s former personal lawyer, Lindsey Halligan, who has no prosecutorial experience. So far, it proves it: In addition to a deeply atypical handling of Comey’s grand jury indictment, this week Halligan exposed himself to new scrutiny after he initiated a text message exchange with a Signal legal reporter that supposedly “touched on grand jury matters”—a huge no-no that could potentially jeopardize the administration’s case.
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James’s declaration of innocence before Judge Jamar Walker, appointed by former President Joe Biden, was not a surprise. When James was first charged, she was unequivocal about the case against him.
“This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate militarization of our justice system,” he said. “And that is why today I am not afraid, I am not afraid, and as my faith teaches me, no weapon formed against me will prosper. We will aggressively fight these baseless accusations and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights. And I will continue to do my job.”
James reiterated this Friday in a statement to News themezone and extended her gratitude to those who supported her, but added, “This is not about me.”
“This is about all of us. And a justice system that has been weaponized. A justice system that has been used as a tool of revenge. This justice system that has been used as a tool of revenge, and a weapon against those individuals who simply did their job and upheld the rule of law. And a justice system that is unfortunately being used as a vehicle of retribution,” he said. “But my faith is strong. I believe in the justice system and the rule of law. And I believe in America and all the people who have supported me, not just in New York but throughout this nation.”
James added that he has “heard from almost every jurisdiction in this nation that has said, ‘Stand tall. Never, ever stoop, back down, break or bend.'”
“So today there is no fear. There is no fear. There is no fear. There is no fear. There is no fear. Because I believe that justice will rain down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream,” he said.
According to the indictment, James is accused of lying on a 2020 loan application to receive more favorable mortgage terms for a property in Norfolk, Virginia. The Justice Department alleges that she claimed the two-story home would be her secondary residence, but instead rented it to a family member in violation of her original mortgage agreement. (Interest rates are typically lower for second homes than investment properties, and prosecutors say James saved just under $20,000 through the alleged ruse.) The family member is Nakia Thompson, James’ great-niece. Thompson has resided in the house for five years, and according to testimony she gave before a grand jury in Norfolk, while she lived there, James visited occasionally, but never paid rent to her great-aunt. This alone could blow a big hole in the government’s claim that James used the house as an investment property.
Before the arraignment, ABC News reported that an internal Justice Department memo about James’ investigation had determined that any benefit she may have received from the allegedly foolish mortgage loan application would have only amounted to $800 in the first year she bought the house. Federal prosecutors expressed doubt about bringing charges, the outlet reported, because mortgage guidelines for second homes are no longer well defined. The alleged author of the memo, Elizabeth Yusi, was fired by Halligan because she resisted pressing charges against James.
“Forcing a political opponent to appear in court to defend baseless criminal charges is like something out of Putin’s Russia, not the America we know and love,” Norm Eisen, CEO of the Defenders of Democracy Fund, said in a statement Friday. “Donald Trump is destroying the rule of law just as he is tearing down the East Wing of the White House. All Americans should speak out about the unjust prosecution of Letitia James.”
Judge Walker said he expects the New York attorney general’s trial to last only five days given the simplicity of the case. Justice Department lawyers reportedly told the judge they would call between eight and 10 witnesses. A lawyer for James did not immediately respond to a request for comment.