New York's Top Prosecutor Vows 'Fearless' Fight Against Federal Charges

October 10, 2025 NEW YORK, NY New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday delivered a blistering, defiant response to her federal indictment, labeling the charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution as utterly "baseless" and a continuation of what she called President Trump's "desperate weaponization of our justice system."

The indictment of the state's top law enforcement official—a stunning development—immediately escalates the already volatile political and legal climate surrounding the former president and his numerous legal battles.

The Retribution Claim: A Fired US Attorney and a Controversial Replacement

James wasted no time drawing a direct link between the charges and the controversial personnel changes within the U.S. Attorney's office.

Her statement explicitly referenced the departure of former U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert, who reportedly left his post after President Trump publicly criticized him for refusing to bring charges against James and former FBI Director James Comey. Siebert's replacement, U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, has now overseen the indictments of both Comey and James.

"This is nothing more than a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system," James declared in a written statement, which she also read in a video posted to her social media. "He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York State Attorney General."

She slammed the maneuver as a "grave violation of our Constitutional order," stating that Trump's decision to fire a U.S. Attorney who refused to charge her and replace them with someone "blindly loyal not to the law, but to the president" is "antithetical to the bedrock principles of our country."

James Stands By Trump Fraud Case

The Attorney General's defense was inextricably tied to the civil fraud lawsuit her office successfully brought against the former president and the Trump Organization. That litigation originally led to a massive fine of approximately $465 million, though an appeals court tossed the ruling in August.

"I stand strongly behind my office's litigation against the Trump Organization," James emphasized. "We conducted a two-year investigation based on the facts and evidence – not politics. Judges have upheld the trial court's finding that Donald Trump, his company, and his two sons are liable for fraud."

Halligan: 'No One Is Above the Law'

U.S. Attorney Halligan, for her part, offered a starkly different view of the indictment.

"No one is above the law," Halligan said in a separate statement. "The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public's trust. The facts and the law in this case are clear."

The Bottom Line: 'I Am Fearless'

In closing, James adopted a tone of spiritual conviction and absolute resolve, vowing to aggressively combat the charges.

"I am a proud woman of faith, and I know that faith and fear cannot share the same space. And so today I am not fearful, I am fearless," James said. "We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights. And I will continue to do my job."

The public battle lines are now drawn, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal drama that will undoubtedly dominate the national news cycle for months.

What do you think is the biggest long-term ramification of a sitting Attorney General being indicted by a federal office?