Watchdog group hits Letitia James with bar complaint after federal judge tosses case
A conservative watchdog group, the Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), has initiated a bar complaint against New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleging professional misconduct related to a mortgage she secured on a property in Norfolk, Virginia. This complaint follows recent federal charges against James that were dismissed by a federal judge due to the involvement of an unqualified U.S. attorney. CASA’s allegations suggest that James engaged in “illegal and dishonest conduct” concerning the mortgage, raising concerns under New York’s Rules of Professional Conduct, which govern ethical behavior among lawyers. Curtis Schube, CASA’s director of research and policy, emphasized that issues of fraud, misrepresentation, honesty, and trustworthiness are critical factors for the Attorney Grievance Committee to consider when evaluating the complaint.
The backdrop to this complaint includes the recent dismissal of federal bank fraud charges against James, where a judge ruled that the charges lacked legitimacy due to procedural issues surrounding the appointment of the U.S. attorney who brought them. The judge, Cameron Currie, highlighted that the appointment of Lindsey Halligan, the attorney who filed the charges, was flawed, as she was appointed after the term of the previous interim U.S. attorney had expired. James faces allegations of falsifying mortgage documents to secure a loan of $109,600, falsely claiming the property as her principal residence while serving as a public official in New York. Although James has denied any wrongdoing, stating that any errors made were unintentional and rectified, the CASA complaint calls for a thorough investigation into her actions.
The implications of this complaint could be significant, not only for James’s professional standing but also for the ongoing political discourse surrounding accountability and ethics in public office. As a prominent figure who has been vocal in her legal battles against former President Donald Trump, James’s legal challenges and the scrutiny she faces may further fuel discussions about the intersection of law and politics. The situation continues to evolve, with CASA urging immediate investigation and the potential for the Department of Justice to appeal the previous dismissal of the charges against her. As this story unfolds, it raises questions about the standards of conduct expected from public officials and the legal frameworks that govern their actions.
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A conservative-aligned watchdog group has filed a bar complaint accusing New York Attorney General Letitia James of professional misconduct tied to her Norfolk, Virginia, mortgage, allegations that were also at the center of her recently dismissed federal charges.
The Center to Advance Security in America (CASA) filed the complaint with the state’s Attorney Grievance Committee, accusing James of engaging in “illegal and dishonest conduct” in connection with the mortgage she took out on the property, according to the
New York Post
.
According to the complaint and related public statements, the group alleges that James’ actions raise concerns under the state’s Rules of Professional Conduct, the ethical standards that govern lawyers in New York.
“Fraud, misrepresentation, honesty and trustworthiness are all factors that the Rules of Professional Conduct expressly consider when weighing whether to discipline an attorney,” Curtis Schube, the group’s director of research and policy, wrote in the four-page complaint, according to the outlet.
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“The Committee, therefore, should immediately investigate the allegations against James and, if by ‘preponderance of the evidence’ the allegations are substantiated, she should be disciplined accordingly.”
A federal judge
threw out the indictments
against James and former FBI Director James Comey on Monday, finding they were illegitimate because they had been brought by an unqualified U.S. attorney.
Judge Cameron Currie
dismissed the bank fraud charges
against James and the false statements charges against Comey without prejudice, meaning the charges could be brought again.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum that theÂ
Department of Justice
plans to appeal.
“We believe the attorney in this case, Lindsey Halligan, is not only extremely qualified for this position, but she was in fact legally appointed,” Leavitt said. “And I know the Department of Justice will be appealing this in very short order.”
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Currie, a Clinton appointee based inÂ
South Carolina
, was brought in from out of state to preside over proceedings about the question of Halligan’s authority because it presented a conflict for the Virginia judges. Comey’s and James’ challenges to Halligan’s appointment were consolidated because of their similarity.
Halligan acted alone in presenting charges to the grand juries shortly after Trump ousted the prior interim U.S. attorney, Erik Siebert, and urged Attorney General
Pam Bondi
to replace him with Halligan, a former White House aide and insurance lawyer. Bondi complied, but Currie found the interim U.S. attorney term had already expired under Siebert and that the Virginia judges were now responsible for appointing a temporary U.S. attorney to serve until Trump could get one confirmed in the Senate.Â
James was indicted on Oct. 9
for allegedly falsifying mortgage documents to secure a $109,600 loan on the property. She was also charged with making false statements to a financial institution.
James, a second-term Democrat, was accused of claiming the property as her principal residence in 2023 despite being a public office holder in New York at that same time.
She has denied wrongdoing. She previously said she made an error while filling out a form related to the home purchase but fixed it. She noted that she had never tried to deceive the lender.
Fox News Digital reached out to both the New York attorney general’s office and CASA but did not immediately receive a response.
Fox News’ Ashley Oliver and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
