New York attorney general Letitia James, a long-time foe of president Donald Trump, was indicted for bank fraud on Thursday, a person familiar with the matter said, as the administration seeks to use government power against those who have pursued investigations into him or publicly resisted his agenda.
Mr Trump, a Republican who campaigned for reelection in part on a vow of retribution after facing a slew of legal woes since his first term in the White House ended in 2021, has repeatedly assailed Ms James on social media and at political rallies as a partisan enemy.
The indictment of Ms James comes after a grand jury in Virginia on September 25th indicted former FBI director James Comey on charges of making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation.
Mr Comey has said he is innocent. Trump has regularly assailed Mr Comey’s handling of the FBI investigation that detailed contacts between Russia and Mr Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Ms James is one of several Democratic state attorneys general who have sued to block Trump administration actions. She is best known for bringing a civil fraud case against Mr Trump and his family real estate company in 2022.
The case resulted in a $454.2 million penalty against Mr Trump after a judge found he fraudulently overstated his net worth to dupe lenders. – Reuters
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