FJP Accuses Trump Administration of Political Retribution in James Indictment

• “The law exists to ensure public safety and to protect the pursuit of justice, not to instill fear in those who uphold it.” – Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The nonprofit Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP) has raised alarm over the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James, calling it part of the Trump administration’s campaign of political retribution. The organization said the move reflects a dangerous pattern of autocracy, political abuse, and efforts to silence critics of President Donald Trump.

The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) praised James’ record, noting that “she is the first woman of color to hold statewide office in New York and the first woman to be elected attorney general.” James has prioritized fighting human rights violations, enforcing environmental laws, and prosecuting scams targeting immigrants.

According to the FJP, “The law exists to ensure public safety and to protect the pursuit of justice, not to instill fear in those who uphold it.” The organization argues that the Trump administration is using the Department of Justice to target James for speaking out against its constitutional violations.

The indictment, filed in the State of Virginia and signed by U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, accuses James of falsifying documents and committing bank fraud. The FJP countered that “this indictment was not brought because AG James broke the law, but because she held Donald Trump accountable for his own illegal conduct.”

The New York Times reporter Alan Feuer noted that Halligan previously served as Trump’s personal attorney and represented him during the investigation into falsified business records. Feuer wrote that Halligan “denounced the F.B.I. when agents seized classified documents in 2022 from Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump’s private club and residence in Florida,” the search that resulted in 34 felony convictions.

National Public Radio (NPR) reported that “there’s been no indication that prosecutors have managed to uncover any degree of incriminating evidence necessary to secure an indictment” against James. Following Halligan’s appointment, the FJP and others have described the case as a personal attack designed to derail James’ ongoing investigations into Trump’s conduct.

The FJP stated that Trump is “using fear and manipulating the DOJ to serve personal interests instead of the public’s.” Less than a year into his presidency, Trump sent the National Guard into Democratic-led states, violating states’ rights, unlawfully detaining legal immigrants, and cutting funding to public services, including the Department of Education.

The FJP warned that the American justice system is heading toward “lawless authoritarianism,” claiming public officials are being bribed with high positions in exchange for loyalty to the president. Without restoring checks and balances, the group said, the Trump administration will continue dismantling the foundations of democracy.

According to The Texas Tribune, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott used gerrymandering to add five Republican congressional seats at Trump’s request, diluting the voting power of Latinx and Black communities. The FJP emphasized that “the American people deserve a justice system guided by evidence, fairness, and ethics, applied with consistency and rooted in intellectual honesty, not one driven by political score-settling.”

James’ predecessor, Erik S. Siebert, resigned under pressure from the Trump White House. The New York Times reported that he was “forced out by the White House after failing to bring charges against two of the president’s perceived enemies,” while ABC News reported he had been fired outright.

The FJP reiterated, “True law and order require that our justice system operates with integrity, independence, and accountability, not as a tool of political vengeance.”

The organization concluded that Trump’s unchecked abuse of power is eroding the rule of law as he targets elected officials who challenge him and undermines the constitutional rights of American citizens.

Follow the Vanguard on Social Media – X, Instagram and Facebook.  Subscribe the Vanguard News letters.  To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit davisvanguard.org/donate or give directly through ActBlue.  Your support will ensure that the vital work of the Vanguard continues.

Categories:

Tags: