ALBANY, N.Y. – Letitia James fixated on Donald Trump as she campaigned for New York attorney general, branding the then-president a “con man” and ″carnival barker” and pledging to polish a “bright light into every dark corner of his real estate dealings.”
Five years later, James is at the verge of disrupting Trump’s actual property empire after a judge ruled Tuesday that he defrauded banks, insurers and others by way of exaggerating the price of belongings on forms used for offers and securing loans.
The ruling shifts keep watch over of some of Trump’s firms to a court-appointed receiver, that means he may lose keep watch over of prized houses like Trump Tower, a sprawling suburban property, place of business constructions and extra.
For James, a Democrat, it’s simply the most recent joust with a powerful foe.
Here’s a take a look at her political background and a few of her greatest instances:
LAWSUITS AGAINST TRUMP
James started investigating Trump almost about once she took place of business as legal professional basic in 2019.
She introduced a number of complaints towards the Republican’s management over his immigration and environmental insurance policies when he used to be within the White House. James inherited an ongoing state lawsuit towards Trump’s charitable basis, filed earlier than she took place of business, and prompt it to a agreement that integrated a $2 million effective.
She filed another civil lawsuit towards Trump closing 12 months, alleging that his corporate deceived banks, insurers and others by way of overvaluing belongings and his web value on monetary forms.
“It’s the art of the steal,” she stated when saying the case towards Trump, turning the identify of Trump’s ebook “The Art of the Deal” towards him.
A pass judgement on in New York on Tuesday sided with James, ruling Trump and his corporate dedicated fraud and ordering some of his trade licenses to be rescinded as punishment.
The ruling, if it stands after an anticipated enchantment, may make it not possible for Trump to do trade in New York and would strip him of the facility to make strategic and fiscal choices over some of his houses within the state.
Trump has long criticized James’ felony volleys as political theater designed to catapult her to repute. He slammed the latest ruling in a collection of social media posts, calling it a “POLITICALLY MOTIVATED WITCH HUNT.”
The Republican has also complained that her comments about him, prior to her election, show she never intended to be fair.
ANDREW CUOMO
In 2021, James oversaw an investigation of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who had been accused by multiple women of sexual harassment.
The inquiry ended in a outstanding downfall for the once-rising superstar within the Democratic celebration. Lawyers employed by way of James concluded that 11 women were telling the truth after they stated Cuomo touched them inappropriately, commented on their look or made suggestive feedback about their intercourse lives.
Cuomo says he was the target of an overzealous #MeToo persecution and alleged that James used the investigation to further her own political aspirations.
James ran a brief campaign for governor after Cuomo resigned but abandoned the bid after a few weeks, saying she would instead seek a second term as attorney general. She has dismissed Cuomo’s claim that her investigation of him was motivated by politics.
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION
Since 2020, James has been main a lawsuit against the National Rifle Association in a case that accuses its leaders of monetary mismanagement.
Her lawsuit accused some of the NRA’s leaders of using the gun advocacy group to enrich themselves and associates. As attorney general, James has regulatory power over tax-exempt nonprofits, and she cast the legal battle against the NRA as an effort to protect the organization from itself.
Critics, though, claimed James — a proponent of gun control — was trying to silence the nation’s strongest voice of gun owners.
She to start with sought to have the NRA dissolved. A pass judgement on rejected that idea, however allowed the lawsuit to proceed.
POLITICAL BACKGROUND
James won a 2018 election for attorney general in New York, becoming the first Black woman elected to statewide office, the state’s first Black attorney general and the first woman elected to the post. (A female predecessor, Barbara Underwood, was appointed.) She won reelection as attorney general in 2022 after ditching her short-lived campaign for governor.
Prior to that, James was the New York City Public Advocate, a role intended to help people navigate and resolve issues with government services and serve as a watchdog over City Hall.
The job made James a familiar fixture in the city, often appearing at crime scenes, news conferences and other events to amplify the concerns of city residents.
She has additionally served within the City Council and labored as a a public defender and an assistant state legal professional basic. She graduated from Lehman College within the Bronx and earned her legislation level from Howard University in Washington.