Attorney General Letitia James indicted on fraud charge after Trump pressure
New York Attorney General Letitia James has been indicted on two counts of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. The indictment follows demands from Donald Trump for federal prosecutors to criminally charge his political adversaries, including James. James described the charges as baseless and a "desperate weaponisation of our justice system," asserting they are driven by political retribution. Trump nominated his personal attorney, Lindsey Halligan, as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who subsequently presented the case against James after career prosecutors reportedly found insufficient evidence. The charges allege James sought to defraud OVM Financial and First Savings Bank by listing a Virginia property as a primary residence to obtain favourable loan terms.