Letitia James not charged by grand jury after first case dismissed

A federal grand jury in Virginia has chosen not to bring charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, following the recent dismissal of an earlier case against her. This development represents another setback for former President Donald Trump's attempts to prosecute political opponents, including ex-FBI Director James Comey.

Last month, a judge dismissed the federal cases involving James and Comey, ruling that the prosecutor appointed by Trump did not hold the position legally. James, who previously pursued charges against Trump, described the allegations of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution as politically motivated.

According to reports from CBS News, citing an unnamed official, the grand jury opted not to authorize an indictment. The dismissals of both cases were with prejudice, meaning the government could theoretically refile charges in the future.

Grand juries, composed of members of the public, assess whether sufficient evidence exists to move a case to trial. They do not determine guilt or innocence, but whether probable cause suggests a crime may have occurred. It is unusual for a grand jury to reject a prosecutors request; in 2016, for instance, federal grand juries declined indictments in only six out of more than 150,000 investigations.

The federal allegations claimed that James misrepresented the status of a Norfolk property as her secondary residence when applying for a mortgage, allowing her to receive favorable loan terms not available for an investment property. Sources reported that James purchased the home in 2020 for her great-niece, who never paid rent for it.

James responded to the grand jurys decision, calling the charges baseless and urging an end to what she described as the politicization of the justice system. Her lawyer, Abbe David Lowell, characterized the grand jurys refusal as a decisive rejection of an unwarranted case, warning that further attempts to prosecute would undermine the rule of law.

As New Yorks top legal officer, James previously filed a civil fraud suit against Trump and the Trump Organization in 2022, resulting in a $500 million penalty for falsifying records to secure loans. Although an appeals court later reduced the fine as excessive, it upheld that Trump had committed fraud.

James and Comey are among several of Trumps political adversaries who have faced federal scrutiny. Former national security adviser John Bolton is also currently facing charges related to the retention of classified national defense information.

Author: Olivia Parker