The Justice Department has launched a sweeping investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing legal and political clash between the Trump administration and one of its most persistent critics. The probe, which began in earnest the week of August 4-8, 2025, centers on whether James’ office violated former President Donald Trump’s civil rights during the high-profile fraud litigation that resulted in a staggering $454 million penalty against Trump and his family business in 2024.
According to reporting from CNN and The New York Times, two grand jury subpoenas were issued to James’s office in Albany. The first subpoena pertains to the civil fraud case against Trump, while the second targets the attorney general’s long-running investigation into the National Rifle Association (NRA), a case that led to the ouster of its influential leader, Wayne LaPierre, and a major blow to the organization’s power. Sources familiar with the matter told CNN that a grand jury investigation is now underway in Albany, focusing on whether James’ efforts to hold Trump accountable for alleged business malpractices may have crossed constitutional lines.
James’ office has responded forcefully, rejecting the accusations and reaffirming its commitment to upholding the law. “Any weaponization of the justice system should disturb every American,” a spokesperson for the New York state attorney general told The New Republic. “We stand strongly behind our successful litigation against the Trump Organization and the National Rifle Association, and we will continue to stand up for New Yorkers’ rights.”
The Justice Department’s latest actions have not stopped at subpoenas. In a move that underscores the extraordinary nature of the investigation, Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Ed Martin—a controversial figure and former interim U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C.—as special prosecutor to supervise an ongoing probe into James’ real estate dealings. Two people briefed on the appointment told The New York Times that Martin’s role signals a broader strategy to scrutinize James’ personal and professional conduct, including her property transactions. Notably, Martin is also leading a similar investigation into the real estate dealings of Senator Adam Schiff, another prominent Trump adversary.
James’ attorney, Abbe Lowell, minced no words in condemning the investigation. Speaking to CNN, Lowell said, “This has to be the most blatant and desperate example of this administration’s carrying out the president’s political retribution campaign.” He further argued, “Weaponizing the Department of Justice to try to punish an elected official for doing her job is an attack on the rule of law and a dangerous escalation by this administration.” Lowell insisted that if prosecutors are genuinely interested in the truth, “we are ready and waiting with the facts and law.”
Geoff Burgan, a spokesperson for James, echoed this sentiment on Friday, stating, “We stand strongly behind our successful litigation against the Trump Organization and the National Rifle Association, and we will continue to stand up for New Yorkers’ rights.”
For James, the latest legal onslaught is part of a broader pattern. In April 2025, the Trump administration launched a separate investigation into her personal finances, accusing her of misrepresenting information on mortgage applications to secure favorable rates. The former president himself has repeatedly lashed out at James, labeling her a “totally corrupt politician” and a “wacky crook,” and even accusing her of being racist—the latter a particularly charged allegation given James’ status as the first Black woman to hold statewide office in New York.
James has long been a thorn in Trump’s side. She first ran for attorney general in 2018 on a platform that included a pledge to investigate the former president. True to her word, she filed suit against Trump and his family business in 2022, alleging that they had overvalued their assets by billions of dollars. The resulting trial ended in a resounding defeat for Trump, who was ordered to pay more than half a billion dollars in penalties, including interest. That case is currently on appeal.
But the Justice Department’s latest probe is highly unusual in both its scope and its legal underpinnings. The civil rights law being invoked is typically used to prosecute law enforcement officers or prison guards who abuse their authority based on race, religion, sex, or national origin. Here, however, federal investigators are examining whether James’ use of legal authority to pursue Trump amounted to a deprivation of his civil rights—an application of the statute rarely, if ever, seen in the context of high-level political and corporate litigation.
Two people familiar with the investigation told The New York Times that the new subpoenas are part of a broader effort to determine whether James’ office violated the rights of Trump or others. The unusual use of this civil rights law—one that does not require a discriminatory motive—reflects a strategy championed by some Trump supporters, who have argued that the Justice Department should target those who have investigated or prosecuted the former president.
James’ legal team is taking the investigation seriously. In addition to Abbe Lowell, James’ office has retained Steven Banks, formerly of the firm Paul Weiss, to defend its staff members. This move signals that James and her allies are preparing for a lengthy and potentially bruising legal battle.
The White House, for its part, has declined to comment on whether it is directing the investigations into James. The acting U.S. attorney in Albany, John Sarcone, also did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and a Justice Department spokesperson likewise declined to elaborate on the developments.
The investigations into James have sent shockwaves through legal and political circles, raising questions about the limits of executive power and the potential for the justice system to be used as a tool of political retribution. Supporters of Trump argue that the inquiries are a necessary check on prosecutorial overreach and that no official should be above scrutiny. Critics, however, warn that the use of federal law enforcement to target political opponents sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the rule of law.
As the legal drama unfolds, the stakes could hardly be higher—for Letitia James, for Donald Trump, and for the broader American legal and political landscape. The outcome of these investigations will not only determine the future of some of the country’s most high-profile legal battles but may also shape the boundaries of political power and accountability for years to come.
With both sides digging in and the legal machinery grinding forward, the story of Letitia James and the Trump administration’s campaign of retribution is far from over. Observers across the nation are watching closely, acutely aware that the implications of this battle will reverberate well beyond the walls of any courtroom.
