The irony of justice is something better than a Hollywood script.
New York Attorney General Letitia James tried to ruin Donald Trump over charges that would normally be a small fine, but instead tried to bankrupt the man.
Now, James is the subject of a grand jury investigation on almost identical charges that Trump faced in the civil suit brought against him by James.
Before we get to James, there is a bit more juice to this story that I wanted to cover. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) just found out that he is the subject of a criminal referral by the Department of Justice (DOJ), according to a report in the New York Post.
Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director William Pulte reportedly sent the referral to the DOJ, detailing “multiple instances” over a nearly two-decade span where Schiff allegedly falsified documents to get more favorable banking terms (sound familiar?).
Schiff was allegedly claiming his Maryland residence as his primary residence to take advantage of tax breaks, while also doing the same with his home in California.
Pulte’s letter claims, “Mr. Schiff appears to have falsified records in order to receive favorable loan terms, and also appears to have been aware of the financial benefits of a primary residence mortgage when compared to a secondary residence mortgage as a spokesperson in 2023 told the media outlet CNN that, ‘Adam’s California and Maryland addresses have been listed as primary residences for loan purposes because they are both occupied throughout the year and to distinguish them from a vacation property.’”
In April, reports broke that Letitia James was the subject of a similar investigation, allegedly falsifying details on paperwork to secure more favorable mortgage terms, nearly identical claims she made against Trump.
Pulte explained, "At the time of the 2023 Norfolk, VA property purchase and mortgage, Ms. James was the sitting Attorney General of New York and is required by law to have her primary residence in the state of New York — even though her mortgage applications list her intent to have the Norfolk, VA property as her primary home.”
Pulte continued, "Spanning the last two decades, Ms. James has consistently misrepresented the same property as only having four units in both building permit applications and numerous mortgage documents and applications.”
He added, "It appears that Ms. James may have listed the Brooklyn, NY property as four units instead of five units in order to meet the conforming loan requirements, and thus receive better interest rates."
The DOJ has now convened a grand jury to investigate the allegations against both Schiff and James, and this is now a very serious matter, as grand juries are not convened out of political convenience.
James has resorted to Trump’s line of defense, responding, "Any weaponization of the justice system should disturb every American. 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."
This will not be an overnight process, as grand juries look at all evidence, witness testimony, etc., and will generally take weeks or months to deliver their ruling.
Having said that, if the grand jury does come back with an indictment on either or both political figures, I would have to think a conviction is likely. As noted in the opening, the irony of this is so rich… to have two of the biggest characters in the effort to take Trump being indicted and convicted, well, that would just be a great day for justice, and a glorious day for Donald Trump.
