Trump DOJ Subpoenas Office of Longtime Foe Letitia James, Reports NYT

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Two subpoenas were issued to the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James, one related to her civil fraud case against President Donald Trump, according to a new report by The New York Times.

The Times reported on Thursday that two broad subpoenas were issued, citing three people familiar with the situation. The first is for documents related to Trump’s civil case while the second is centered on a case against the National Rifle Association.

Justice Department officials have not officially commented on the matter, but James’s representatives have pushed back.

“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,” a spokesperson for the prosecutor told the Times.

Abbe Lowell, James’s lawyer, also commented, calling it potential “weaponization” of the Justice Department.

“Weaponizing the Department of Justice to try to punish an elected official for doing her job is an attack on the rule of law and a dangerous escalation by this administration,” he said.

Fox News reported, citing two “well-placed sources,” that a grand jury was convened to investigate James, adding that the investigation is on possible “deprivation of rights” and the subpoenas are related.

The DOJ’s latest reported moves mark an escalation in a long-running battle between the president and James. The prosecutor’s civil fraud case against Trump was ultimtely successful, leaving Trump with hundreds of millions in penalties, though that case is currently on appeal.

This is a breaking news story and has been updated.