Letitia James Grand Jury Refuses to Revive Trump-Backed Charges
The Justice Department just suffered another major courtroom embarrassment after a Virginia grand jury flat-out refused to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James on mortgage fraud charges.
According to reports, federal prosecutors went back before a grand jury this week hoping to revive the collapsed case after a judge recently tossed the original indictment. But once again, the move backfired. The grand jury declined to bring new charges.
This latest rejection marks yet another public setback for efforts tied to President Donald Trump’s push to criminally target two of his longtime nemeses — James and former FBI Director James Comey.
WHY THE ORIGINAL CASE FELL APART
Last month, a federal judge threw out the original indictment after ruling that the U.S. attorney who brought the case, Lindsey Halligan — a former Trump lawyer — was illegally appointed. That procedural flaw alone was enough to derail the case before it ever reached trial.
Halligan had been installed as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia after Trump publicly pressured the Justice Department to pursue criminal charges against both James and Comey. Within days of her swearing-in, Comey was indicted. Two weeks later, James was charged.
The judge wasn’t convinced the appointment passed legal muster — and said the government couldn’t simply “retroactively” clean it up after the fact.
WHAT JAMES WAS ACCUSED OF
James was charged with bank fraud and making false statements tied to a 2020 home purchase in Norfolk, Virginia. Prosecutors claimed she improperly secured favorable loan terms by signing paperwork stating the property would be used as a second home — then later renting it out.
James has fiercely denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly accused the Trump administration of weaponizing the justice system to go after political opponents.
After Thursday’s grand jury rejection, she doubled down.
“It is time for this unchecked weaponization of our justice system to stop,” James said in a statement.
Her high-profile attorney, Abbe Lowell, went even harder, calling continued prosecution after a judge’s dismissal and a grand jury’s rejection a direct threat to the rule of law.
TRUMP’S ROLE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Court records and public statements show Trump openly demanded action against James and Comey, even posting on Truth Social that Justice Department leaders were dragging their feet and that “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”
