Letitia James promised to “take on” then-President Donald Trump when she ran for New York legal professional common in 2018. In the years since, she has sued Trump repeatedly, sparking controversy and profitable main victories in court docket.

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Letitia James promised to “take on” then-President Donald Trump when she ran for New York legal professional common in 2018. In the years since, she has sued Trump repeatedly, sparking controversy and profitable main victories in court docket.

Seth Wenig/AP

When state Judge Arthur Engoron ordered former President Donald Trump and his firms to pay over $355 million for widespread fraud on Friday, it was one other gorgeous victory for New York Attorney General Letitia James.

“Donald Trump may have authored The Art of the Deal, but he perfected the art of the steal,” James mentioned at a information convention after the ruling was issued.

She then took a shot at Trump’s character: “The scale and the scope of Donald Trump’s fraud is staggering and so too is his ego and his belief that the rules do not apply to him.”

James, 65, is a Democrat who made historical past as the primary Black girl to function New York’s legal professional common.

A Brooklyn native and a graduate of Howard University School of Law, she wasn’t broadly identified outdoors New York City, the place she served on the City Council and later within the largely ceremonial position of public advocate.

But after simply 5 years as New York state’s legal professional common, James has constructed a repute as a giant-slayer, concentrating on — and in some instances, toppling — a few of the strongest figures and organizations within the United States.

• In 2019, when Trump was nonetheless within the White House, she pursued a lawsuit in opposition to his charitable operation, accusing him of misusing donations. She prevailed, forcing Trump to shut down his Trump Foundation and pay a $2 million wonderful.

• Her corruption lawsuit against the National Rifle Association, filed in 2020 and now earlier than a jury in Manhattan, pushed the once-mighty gun rights group to the brink of insolvency. Longtime NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, as soon as a towering determine in American politics, stepped down in January on the eve of the trial, citing well being considerations. “LaPierre’s resignation validates our claims against him, but it will not insulate him or the NRA from accountability,” James said final month in a press release.

• Her workplace’s 2021 probe of sexual harassment allegations produced a damning report that’s broadly credited with forcing the resignation of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who denied any wrongdoing. “Today closes a sad chapter for all of New York,” James said in a press release after Cuomo introduced he would step apart, “but it’s an important step towards justice.”

In August 2021, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo prepares to board a helicopter after saying his resignation. Sexual harassment allegations price Cuomo his job.

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In August 2021, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo prepares to board a helicopter after saying his resignation. Sexual harassment allegations price Cuomo his job.

Seth Wenig/AP

• Her newest victory, in opposition to Trump and two of his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, is clearly her largest to this point, elevating questions on the way forward for the true property empire that helped form Trump’s public identification. In addition to the hefty monetary penalty, Trump is banned from doing enterprise in New York state for 3 years; his sons, for 2 years. They have promised to enchantment.

While her observe document taking over and profitable large instances has gained James accolades, it has additionally drawn criticism.

Former President Donald Trump holds up a replica of a narrative that includes New York Attorney General Letitia James at a information convention this January. Trump has accused James of concentrating on him unfairly.

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Former President Donald Trump holds up a replica of a narrative that includes New York Attorney General Letitia James at a information convention this January. Trump has accused James of concentrating on him unfairly.

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Trump and his allies have lengthy claimed her alternative of targets displays bias on the a part of an formidable Democratic politician.

“We have a totally corrupt attorney general,” Trump mentioned throughout a information convention Friday at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Fla., and he promised to enchantment.

“She campaigned on the fact that ‘I will get Trump, I will get Trump.’ Everybody’s seen it,” Trump added.

James campaigned promising to “take on” Trump

Indeed, Trump’s accusation that James is a part of a political “witch hunt” is fueled partly by her personal marketing campaign rhetoric.

When James ran for legal professional common in 2018, Trump was nonetheless within the White House. She made it clear to voters that he was in her crosshairs.

In one campaign video, James promised to “take on President Donald Trump and anyone who tries to deny New Yorkers their most basic rights.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James attends former President Donald Trump’s civil enterprise fraud trial in October.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James attends former President Donald Trump’s civil enterprise fraud trial in October.

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“I’m running for attorney general because I will never be afraid to challenge this illegitimate president,” James mentioned in another campaign video.

After profitable workplace, James gave an interview to NBC News in December 2018 the place she promised to “use every area of the law to investigate President Trump and his business transactions and that of his family as well.”

She did as promised.

During her first 12 months in workplace, James successfully pursued her first civil lawsuit against Trump, filed initially by her predecessor, alleging he misused donations given to his charitable group. Trump paid $2 million and his basis was dissolved.

“These damages speak to the president’s abuse of power,” James said in a statement, including that “no one is above the law … not even the president of the United States.”

Despite agreeing to portions of the settlement, Trump fired back, denying wrongdoing and complaining he was being “attacked by the political hacks in New York State.”

In September 2022, James sued Trump again, this time on the fraud expenses that led to final week’s jaw-dropping penalties.

During a information convention saying the lawsuit, James acknowledged she would face criticism that her lawsuit is partisan.

She mentioned her investigation of Trump’s enterprise dealings “only started after Michael Cohen, his former lawyer, testified before Congress about this conduct.”

“We have produced evidence about the scope, the scale, the depth, the breadth of the illegality, the fraud that personally enriched Donald Trump and his family,” James mentioned.

Trump once more blasted James, utilizing a racially charged nickname and accusing her in a publish on his Truth Social web site of being a “fraud who campaigned on a ‘get Trump’ platform.”

The ruling gained by New York Attorney General Letitia James bars Donald Trump from doing enterprise in New York state for 3 years. It’s not but clear how that may have an effect on his prize actual property belongings.

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The ruling gained by New York Attorney General Letitia James bars Donald Trump from doing enterprise in New York state for 3 years. It’s not but clear how that may have an effect on his prize actual property belongings.

Mark Lennihan/AP

Attacks in opposition to James amplified by right-wing media

Conservative media have amplified claims by Trump, who faces dozens of legal expenses in 4 separate instances, that he’s being attacked unfairly by Democratic prosecutors, together with James, as a part of an effort to cripple him politically.

In Manhattan, Trump faces a legal trial, introduced by District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, linked to allegedly unlawful hush cash funds.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, additionally a Democrat, is pursuing legal expenses in opposition to Trump linked to allegations that he tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election leads to Georgia.

Trump additionally faces federal expenses linked to alleged election interference and expenses that he improperly dealt with categorised paperwork after leaving the White House.

“They’re going in with a predetermined agenda and making that a campaign promise,” mentioned Fox News character Sean Hannity in October on the TV channel. “Does that sound like justice?”

Speaking on Hannity’s program, George Washington University legislation professor Jonathan Turley echoed the priority that James, specifically, acted improperly.

“When James was running for office, I wrote that I thought there were serious ethical problems with a prosecutor really trying to secure office on the pledge to nail one person,” Turley mentioned. “This a trophy pledge that ‘I’m going to bag Donald Trump.'”

In this picture taken from video, Donald Trump sits for a deposition on April 13, 2023, the place the previous president got here face-to-face with New York Attorney General Letitia James.

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In this picture taken from video, Donald Trump sits for a deposition on April 13, 2023, the place the previous president got here face-to-face with New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Office of the New York State Attorney General/AP

This month, an in depth Trump ally, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., filed an ethics complaint against James.

“Ms. James has displayed a personal vendetta against President Trump that renders her unable to impartially handle cases,” Stefanik mentioned.

Members of Andrew Cuomo’s inside circle have additionally accused James of bias, saying she used her workplace’s sexual harassment probe to pressure him out of workplace.

“It’s all about what serves [Letitia] James,” mentioned Rich Azzopardi, a longtime Democratic operative in New York and an adviser to Cuomo. “It has nothing to do with the responsibilities of the office. I’ve never seen a more political attorney general.”

James did briefly run for governor after Cuomo’s resignation, however her marketing campaign faltered. She withdrew from the governor’s race and as an alternative gained a second time period as state legal professional common in November 2022.

“This case has never been about politics”

James did not settle for NPR’s repeated requests for an interview for this story.

In public appearances, nonetheless, she has addressed accusations that her lawsuits in opposition to Trump are political.

“This case has never been about politics or personal vendettas or about name-calling,” James mentioned final 12 months. “This case is about the facts and the law.”

Christina Greer, a political scientist on the City College of New York who has studied James’ profession, mentioned it’s normal for prosecutors to take agency public positions, generally controversial ones, on coverage and the legislation.

“It’s an elected position. Isn’t there always going to be politics for an elected position? I mean, she has to have a point of view.”

Greer famous that James’ lawsuits are all examined in court docket, earlier than judges or juries. Powerful defendants, sometimes represented by top-tier authorized groups, have the chance to show that instances are flawed or biased.

Instead, James continues to prevail.

“She’s able to take on these very high-powered men, Democrats and Republicans alike, because she also had a very dedicated team of lawyers [who build strong cases],” Greer mentioned.

Next up: a verdict for the NRA

Wayne LaPierre arrives at court docket in Lower Manhattan in January. LaPierre resigned as CEO of the National Rifle Association on the eve of the corruption trial in opposition to the group. He has denied any wrongdoing.

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Wayne LaPierre arrives at court docket in Lower Manhattan in January. LaPierre resigned as CEO of the National Rifle Association on the eve of the corruption trial in opposition to the group. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Yuki Iwamura/AP

The subsequent check for James’ crusading authorized strategy is predicted any day, when a Manhattan jury returns a verdict within the National Rifle Association corruption trial.

“The NRA’s influence has been so powerful that the organization went unchecked for decades,” James mentioned throughout a information convention saying the lawsuit.

The NRA claimed repeatedly in authorized filings that James’ lawsuit was politically motivated, a part of a “witch hunt” designed to weaken and silence a conservative advocacy group.

In 2022, nonetheless, state Judge Joel Cohen rejected the NRA’s argument of political bias and allowed the case to maneuver ahead.

“There are no factual allegations [by the NRA] suggesting that the stated concerns driving the investigation – reports of fraud, waste, and looting within the NRA – were imaginary or not believed by the Attorney General,” Cohen wrote.

James is now asking for sweeping monetary penalties in opposition to the NRA and its high leaders, in addition to new restrictions that might completely hobble the gun rights group’s operations.