Today's News: DOJ Investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James

The probe focuses on whether James’s office violated civil rights in its successful fraud lawsuit against Trump and his organization, as well as her case against the National Rifle Association.

Terrence Dorsey

Aug 09, 2025

Photo: Seth Wenig

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Date: August 8, 2025
Topic: Justice Department Investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James
Summary: The U.S. Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, a prominent adversary of President Donald Trump. The probe focuses on whether James’s office violated civil rights in its successful fraud lawsuit against Trump and his organization, as well as her case against the National Rifle Association. The investigation involves subpoenas issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York and, according to some reports, a convened grand jury. James’s legal team and spokespersons have strongly condemned the investigation as a politically motivated act of retribution by the Trump administration. Separately, a special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate allegations of mortgage fraud against James and Senator Adam Schiff.

Sources

Key Points

The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The investigation primarily concerns whether James’s office violated President Trump’s civil rights in its successful fraud lawsuit against him and the Trump Organization.
The probe also examines James’s litigation against the National Rifle Association (NRA).
James’s lawyers and spokespersons characterize the investigation as “political retribution” and “weaponization of the Justice Department” by the Trump administration.
A separate investigation by the Justice Department is ongoing into allegations of mortgage fraud against James.
Both investigations are seen as extraordinary examples of federal intervention in state proceedings and part of Trump’s broader campaign against perceived political adversaries.
The civil fraud case against Trump resulted in a judgment of over $450 million, which is currently on appeal.

Unique Highlights

The New York Times details the unusual legal procedure used to appoint John A. Sarcone III, the acting U.S. attorney in Albany, as “special attorney to the attorney general” after judges and senators declined to appoint him permanently, noting his strong stance against immigration and insertion into national culture wars. It also mentions a separate, pre-existing investigation into James’s personal real estate transactions confirmed by FBI Director Kash Patel.
CNN provides a broader context of other “perceived political enemies” of Trump facing scrutiny from his administration, including former FBI Director James Comey, former CIA Director John Brennan, and former special counsel Jack Smith. It also mentions Alina Habba, a former Trump defense attorney, now serving as an acting U.S. Attorney.
NBC News and Fox News explicitly name Attorney General Pam Bondi as having authorized the appointment of Ed Martin as a “special attorney” or “special prosecutor” to investigate mortgage fraud allegations against both Letitia James and Senator Adam Schiff. NBC News further notes Martin’s past as interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., and his appointment to lead a “weaponization working group.”
Fox News specifies that a grand jury in Virginia will investigate claims involving James for the mortgage fraud, and a grand jury in Maryland will investigate claims involving Schiff. It also provides a quote from James regarding the Trump fraud case: “If average New Yorkers went into a bank and submitted false documents, the government would throw the book at them, and the same should be true for former presidents.”
The Washington Post highlights that the alleged mortgage fraud involved James stating a Norfolk, Virginia, home purchased in 2023 would be her primary residence while she served as attorney general in New York. It also details Justice Arthur Engoron’s February 2024 bench trial decision in the Trump fraud case, citing “blatantly false financial data.”
The Hill adds that the mortgage investigation led by Ed Martin is one of the first cases for him as he was tapped to lead DOJ’s new Weaponization Working Group after failing Senate confirmation. It also notes that James’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, questioned why Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has faced similar mortgage fraud allegations, was not included in Martin’s mandate.

Contrasting Details

While all articles confirm a Justice Department investigation into Letitia James’s office regarding the Trump and NRA cases, CNN and Fox News explicitly state that a grand jury has convened in Albany for the deprivation of rights probe, suggesting a more advanced stage than the “initial stages” mentioned by NBC News.
The articles differ slightly in their emphasis on who is leading the main civil rights investigation. The New York Times specifically names John A. Sarcone III, the acting U.S. attorney in Albany, as sending the subpoenas and notes his unusual appointment as “special attorney to the attorney general” for this probe. Other articles generally attribute it to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York without naming Sarcone as the specific lead for this particular investigation, though they all agree on the office’s involvement.
The articles clarify that there are two separate Justice Department investigations into Letitia James: one regarding her official actions in the Trump and NRA cases (civil rights deprivation), and another regarding personal mortgage fraud allegations. The New York Times initially mentions Kash Patel confirming a personal real estate investigation, while NBC News, Fox News, The Washington Post, and The Hill introduce Attorney General Pam Bondi appointing Ed Martin specifically to lead the mortgage fraud probe, which is distinct from the civil rights investigation involving the Trump and NRA cases.

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