Trump accused of ‘revenge tour’ after criminal referral targets New York AG Letitia James

“He’s now put people in place to investigate his perceived enemies, whether it’s justified based on the facts and the law or not,” Anthony Coley, a former DOJ official, told theGrio.

New York Attorney General Letitia James was referred for criminal prosecution on Wednesday by a Trump official, signaling an escalation of President Donald Trump’s political animus against James, who previously prosecuted him for financial fraud and continues to challenge his administration in court on behalf of New York state.

In a letter dated April 14, Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, told the Department of Justice that James “appeared to have falsified records” related to properties she owns in Virginia and New York in an alleged effort to receive favorable loan terms, according to the New York Times. James has not been charged with a crime.

The criminal referral letter also comes just a day after President Trump called the New York attorney a “crook” while sharing a news article about the allegations on Truth Social. “Letitia James, a totally corrupt politician, should resign from her position as New York State Attorney General, IMMEDIATELY,” said Trump, who is the first convicted individual to serve as president of the United States.

At the center of the claims made in the letter, James is accused of potential mortgage fraud after allegedly signing notarized paperwork that declared a purchased Virginia residence as her principal residence. Trump’s allies, including his former political advisor Roger Stone, have suggested that James may have committed mortgage fraud or may even be ineligible to hold New York office as a result of the paperwork, which was published by the blog White Collar Crime.

The letter from FHFA also refers to a Brooklyn property that James has owned for more than 20 years, accusing her of misrepresenting the number of units in the home in order to receive better interest rates.

In a statement, Letitia James’ office said, “Attorney General James is focused every single day on protecting New Yorkers, especially as this administration weaponizes the federal government against the rule of law and the Constitution. She will not be intimidated by bullies — no matter who they are.”

The New York Times reports that James’ paperwork related to her Norfolk, Va., property may not result in any criminal prosecution due to a loan application form provided by James’ office showing that the attorney general indicated that she did not intend to occupy the home as a primary residence. The outlet said her mortgage agreement did not require her to do so.

James and Trump have clashed repeatedly in both the courtroom and the public square over several years. Trump, who was ordered to pay more than $400 million in penalties as a result of James’ fraud lawsuit, repeatedly vowed to go after his political enemies, most notably James, if he were to return to the White House.

“Donald Trump is on a revenge tour. He’s now put people in place to investigate his perceived enemies, whether it’s justified based on the facts and the law or not,” Anthony Coley, a former Department of Justice official during the Biden administration, told theGrio of the Trump administration’s latest move targeting James.

He added, “The fact that the public learned about these supposed errors from conservative media outlets — not from a subpoena or Court records — strongly suggests that the motive here is political.”