Politics
BREAKING: FBI Officially Launches Investigation Into Letitia James
A formal criminal probe has been opened by the Federal Bureau of Investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, an infamous adversary of the president, setting up a federal-state showdown with profound constitutional and political consequences.
Since March, James, a Democrat, has been ensnared by allegations that she made false statements on federal documents in order to obtain favorable loan terms on several properties. Critics have accused the state attorney general of claiming her primary residency in Virginia, misstating the size of a New York apartment building to avoid additional property requirements, and even listing her elderly father as her husband.
A source familiar with the probe said that the FBI and U.S. attorney’s office have partnered to review documents related to the 2023 purchase of a Virginia home by James that was flagged by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte last month.
In his letter, Pulte notes the impossibility that James, who is legally required to reside in New York State, could be spending the majority of her nights at her Virginia homestead. His assertion was backed up by a visit by reporters from the Daily Caller who were chased off the property by a woman who refused to answer questions about James and their relationship.
Pulte also alleged that James “falsified” the records related to a 2001 purchase of a Brooklyn brownstone, understating the number of units it contained in what appears to be an attempt to escape requirements to pay for fire alarms and other security measures.
The offices of James and the U.S. attorney both declined comment, the NY Post reports.
News of the investigation comes shortly after state lawmakers quietly inserted a $10 million provision allowing state officials to tap taxpayer dollars to defend themselves in legal action brought on by the federal government. Democrats in the state legislature have said that the measure ostensibly applies to state employees, but the elephant in the room is the specter that New York’s top law enforcement official may soon be the defendant in a federal case alleging she committed real estate fraud.
Ironically, the charges are eerily similar to those James brought against Trump after he left the White House in 2021. A state judge ruled that the Trump Organization overinflated the value of its portfolio of properties, including Mar-a-Lago, a decision that James cheered at the time.
In public speeches, James has accused Trump of weaponizing the federal government to pursue political vendettas against prosecutors who stood up to him.
“You want me to sit in my seat and stand idly by and allow this craziness to happen? You can come after me if you want, but you elected me to stand up,” James screamed at a recent speech after news of Pulte’s letter became public. “I will fight on!”
