Federal Judge Deals Blow to AG Letitia James' Mortgage Fraud Case, Citing Improper Prosecution
A federal judge in Virginia has dismissed the mortgage fraud case against New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling that the prosecutor who brought the charges was improperly appointed. The decision came after James and her attorneys argued that Lindsey Halligan, the acting federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia, had "no lawful authority to present the indictment."
Halligan's appointment was at the center of the dispute, with James' team claiming that she lacked the necessary qualifications and experience to lead the case. The judge ultimately agreed, stating that Halligan was a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience.
James, who is a Democrat and a frequent target of Republican investigations under President Donald Trump's administration, has been a vocal critic of the president's actions. This latest development is seen as a victory for James, who remains unfazed by the charges despite facing intense scrutiny from her colleagues.
However, experts point out that this decision does not necessarily mean that James will be exonerated. A catch-all law allows the Department of Justice to refile the charges within six months, and the case's dismissal is now headed to the Supreme Court.
In a broader context, the ruling highlights Trump's efforts to use the justice system to target his perceived enemies. The president has been accused of politicizing the DOJ, with many arguing that Halligan was appointed specifically to take on James and other Democratic targets.
This latest setback for Trump comes as he continues to face multiple investigations into his dealings and actions. Meanwhile, James is pushing back against a federal investigation in New York, challenging subpoenas issued by a Trump administration hand-picked prosecutor, John Sarcone.
A federal judge in Virginia has dismissed the mortgage fraud case against New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling that the prosecutor who brought the charges was improperly appointed. The decision came after James and her attorneys argued that Lindsey Halligan, the acting federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Virginia, had "no lawful authority to present the indictment."
Halligan's appointment was at the center of the dispute, with James' team claiming that she lacked the necessary qualifications and experience to lead the case. The judge ultimately agreed, stating that Halligan was a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience.
James, who is a Democrat and a frequent target of Republican investigations under President Donald Trump's administration, has been a vocal critic of the president's actions. This latest development is seen as a victory for James, who remains unfazed by the charges despite facing intense scrutiny from her colleagues.
However, experts point out that this decision does not necessarily mean that James will be exonerated. A catch-all law allows the Department of Justice to refile the charges within six months, and the case's dismissal is now headed to the Supreme Court.
In a broader context, the ruling highlights Trump's efforts to use the justice system to target his perceived enemies. The president has been accused of politicizing the DOJ, with many arguing that Halligan was appointed specifically to take on James and other Democratic targets.
This latest setback for Trump comes as he continues to face multiple investigations into his dealings and actions. Meanwhile, James is pushing back against a federal investigation in New York, challenging subpoenas issued by a Trump administration hand-picked prosecutor, John Sarcone.
So the AG from NY got her mortgage fraud case dismissed 'cause of how she was appointed 
. Like, what even is going on? The judge said the prosecutor didn't have the right qualifications for the job... and that's a big deal! 
I mean, you can't just appoint someone willy-nilly to handle a major case like this.
. She's still pushing back against those investigations in NY and Trump's getting hit hard for trying to use the justice system to take down his enemies 
. This whole thing just shows how bad things are under Trump's admin... 
anyway, I'm here for more of this juicy news! 
I'm surprised the judge didn't rule out Letitia James altogether 
! This case was always about politics 
and it's sad to see it go down to this 
. But seriously, the stats don't lie: 75% of federal judges have approved AGs in similar cases, so I'm curious to see how the Supreme Court weighs in 
. Did you know that the Eastern District of Virginia sees an average of 100+ new cases per month? That's a lot of pressure on Lindsey Halligan to meet her quota 
! But don't count her out just yet: that catch-all law can refile charges within 6 months 
. Let's see what the Supremes have to say 
!
. First of all, it was her job to bring up those mortgage fraud charges in the first place, so what's the big deal? And now, another judge is stepping in and saying that Lindsey Halligan wasn't qualified for the case... yeah, sure, but isn't that just a bunch of bureaucratic red tape? 
It just doesn't sit right with me.
! Like, what even is the point of these politics and investigations? Can't they just focus on actual crimes instead of going after people who disagree with them? 
It's just another example of how the powerful are using their influence to silence critics and get away with things.
. And I'm definitely rooting for her on this one 
. Bring it on, Trump and his minions