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Justice Department opens investigation into New York attorney general who won civil fraud case against Trump

New York Attorney General Letitia James sits in the courtroom during Donald Trump's civil fraud trial at New York Supreme Court on January 11, 2024. Seth Wenig/Pool/Getty Images/File

New York Attorney General Letitia James sits in the courtroom during Donald Trump's civil fraud trial at New York Supreme Court on January 11, 2024. Seth Wenig/Pool/Getty Images/File

The Justice Department has subpoenaed New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office as part of a criminal investigation into President Donald Trump’s longtime adversary, according to multiple sources, in the latest example of the Trump administration taking on the president’s perceived enemies.

The US attorney’s office for the Northern District of New York issued two subpoenas seeking information about James’ investigations into the Trump Organization and National Rifle Association, the sources said.

A grand jury investigation into James has also convened in Albany, New York, according to a source familiar. The grand jury probe into James is said to be looking into deprivation of rights, which means violating someone’s constitutional rights, against Trump.

The Justice Department declined to comment on the subpoenas and grand jury investigation.

Abbe Lowell, an attorney for James, said, “Investigating the fraud case Attorney General James won against President Trump and his businesses has to be the most blatant and desperate example of this administration’s carrying out the president’s political retribution campaign.”

Lowell added: “Weaponizing the Department of Justice to try to punish an elected official for doing her job is an attack on the rule of law and a dangerous escalation by this administration. If prosecutors carry out this improper tactic and are genuinely interested in the truth, we are ready and waiting with the facts and law.”

CNN has asked the White House for comment on the investigation.

James is among of a long list of Trump’s perceived political enemies who are now facing scrutiny from his administration. The Justice Department has opened investigations into former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan, the Obama administration’s handling of Russia’ 2016 election interference, former DHS official and “Anonymous” author Miles Taylor and former CISA head Chris Krebs, who was fired for saying the 2020 election was not rigged. The office of special counsel earlier this month launched a Hatch Act investigation into former special counsel Jack Smith, who indicted Trump twice in 2023.

In May, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed there was an investigation into James based in the Eastern District of Virginia over whether she committed fraud on a mortgage application. Lowell said that probe is focused on “baseless and long-discredited allegations.”

Trump civil fraud case

In September 2022, the New York attorney general’s office filed a sweeping civil lawsuit against Trump, his adult sons and the Trump Organization, alleging they inflated the value of its properties to mislead lenders and insurers.

A judge found Trump liable for fraud and ordered him to pay more than $450 million. Trump has appealed to have the judgment thrown out, which is still pending.

Trump posted a $175 million bond while he appealed.

Trump’s hostility with James was evident during the 11-week trial, which took place in 2023 and 2024 ahead of his New York criminal trial. Trump railed against James from the witness stand and in the hallways of the courtroom.

“This is a political witch hunt and I think she should be ashamed of herself,” Trump said of James during a day’s worth of combative testimony.

“You believe this political hack back there and that’s unfortunate,” he said in reference to James, who frequently attended the trial sitting behind her attorneys.

James countered by making her own statement outside of the courthouse in lower Manhattan and through social media videos.

Included on Trump’s defense team in the civil fraud case was Alina Habba, who is now an acting US Attorney in New Jersey and one of several personal Trump attorneys who were appointed to positions in his Justice Department.

Habba also frequently criticized the New York attorney general during the trial. In her closing statement, Habba went after James personally, saying: “I looked back and saw her shoes were off this morning, and she had a Starbucks coffee.”

The judge stopped her, responding that closing arguments had to stick to the facts of the case.

NRA litigation

The attorney general’s office also took on the National Rifle Associationand won judgments forcing the organization to reform its structure.

James filed a lawsuit in 2020 to dissolve the NRA over allegations the organization violated laws for non-profit groups, committed tax fraud and took millions for personal use.

A jury in February 2024 found that the NRA mismanaged charitable funds when it failed to stop top executives from diverting millions of dollars for lavish personal trips, no-show contracts and other questionable expenditures. The jury found that the group’s longtime leader Wayne LaPierre, who had resigned the month earlier, should pay the gun rights group $4.3 million in damages for mismanagement and misspending charitable funds.

CNN has asked the NRA for comment on the DOJ investigation.

“Any weaponization of the justice system should disturb every American,” a spokesman for James’ office said. “We stand strongly behind our successful litigation against the Trump Organization and the National Rifle Association, and we will continue to stand up for New Yorkers’ rights.”

This story has been updated with additional developments.

Author: Kara Scannell , Casey Gannon , Jeremy Herb

Source: CNN:::

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