Donald Trump’s personal attorney, now serving as one of the top federal prosecutors in Virginia, reportedly went above the heads of the Department of Justice when she indicted Letitia James this week.
Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, personally introduced evidence to a grand jury against New York’s Democratic attorney general on Thursday.
She did so without Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi or her deputy, Todd Blanche, knowing it was coming, according to CNN and ABC News, citing sources familiar with the discussions.
The charges were expected, despite the recommendations from multiple prosecutors who argued there was insufficient evidence to land a successful conviction against James after a months-long investigation.
But Justice Department officials were allegedly caught off guard when they learned that Halligan, fresh off indicting former FBI director James Comey under similarly dubious circumstances, had already presented the case to a grand jury without them knowing.
James became the latest target of the president’s retribution campaign after he publicly demanded Bondi prosecute his perceived political enemies without “delay” last month.
The two-count indictment accuses James of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution in connection with a loan for a property she purchased in 2020 — charges that echo allegations against the president and brought by James. A judge determined Trump and his business associates defrauded banks and investors to gain more favorable financing terms for his star properties.
“This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system,” James said in a statement Thursday.
“These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost,” she added. “The president’s actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties.”
Trump nominated Halligan as U.S. attorney after he boasted of “firing” her predecessor, who had resisted pressure from the administration to prosecute her and Comey.
Halligan, who has no prosecutorial experience, presented a case against Comey days after she was nominated to fill the role. He has pleaded not guilty.
James is tentatively scheduled to appear in court to formally face charges on October 24.
“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” Halligan said in a statement Thursday. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”
One person at the Justice Department who didn’t appear surprised by news of the indictment: Ed Martin, Trump’s “weaponization czar.”
Martin posted an image to his X account on Thursday morning that showed an eagle flying over the Brooklyn Bridge, and then reposted the image after James was indicted.
“As a matter of law, we will not discuss any grand jury matters with the media, but this Justice Department is united as one team in our mission to make America safe again,” Justice Department spokesman Chad Gilmartin said in a statement to The Independent.
“Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, along with the entire team at Main Justice continue to empower our U.S. Attorneys to pursue justice in every case,” he added.
Following the indictment against James, Bondi simply posted, “one tier of justice for all Americans.” Blanche shared the post.
