Letitia James, New York’s scandal-plagued attorney general, is once again lashing out at President Trump and his administration—this time using the courts as her personal megaphone, just as credible allegations of mortgage and insurance fraud close in around her.
Over the weekend, James appeared at a National Action Network rally in Harlem, shouting from the podium that she intends to sue the Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over what she called “healthcare funding cuts.” The lawsuit—light on specifics and heavy on theatrics—was announced with the kind of righteous indignation that’s become James’s trademark when the spotlight is off her own legal troubles.
“The White House is threatening our way of life in so many ways,” she told attendees. “We got to stand up, and that’s why Democratic attorneys general will be joining me in filing this lawsuit in the coming days.” No details, no legal basis, just the usual partisan chest-thumping.
This latest legal stunt comes as James herself is under increasing pressure over allegations of actual criminal misconduct. The Trump administration has referred her to the Department of Justice for suspected mortgage fraud. According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), James may have falsified records related to a property she purchased in Brooklyn—claiming it was a four-unit dwelling when in fact it had five units, thus skirting lending rules to secure a more favorable loan.
And that’s not all.
James also declared a property in Virginia—hundreds of miles from her official residence and responsibilities—as her primary home. The house in question is a two-story structure in Norfolk, a long way from Albany or Manhattan. Why would the Attorney General of New York list a Virginia address as her primary residence? Good question.
Now, new allegations of insurance fraud are beginning to emerge. While the Trump administration has not yet formally opened an investigation into those charges, sources say it’s likely only a matter of time.
Letitia James built her political career by waging legal war on Donald Trump. But her endless crusade to weaponize the courts might finally be catching up with her. As more evidence piles up, James may soon find herself less a prosecutor and more a defendant. And no amount of shouting at rallies will save her then.