CNN Host Says Bombshell Trump Revenge Case Fail Is ‘Gut Punch’ That Will ‘Infuriate The President’

CNN host Laura Coates called the latest failure of President Donald Trump’s revenge case against New York Attorney General Letitia James a “gut punch” that’s sure to “infuriate the president.”

Barely a week after the bombshell dismissal of revenge cases against AG James and former FBI Director James Comey, a second grand jury declined to indict James. Then on Wednesday, news broke that yet another grand jury refused to charge James.

On Thursday night’s edition of CNN’s Laura Coates Live, the host and legal expert said the James case and the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia are sure to anger Trump, and called the pursuit of James “stunning”:

COATES: Tonight, Kilmar Abrego Garcia is out of ICE custody, and New York Attorney General Letitia James remains unindicted. Two headlines that will infuriate the president because of just how significant those losses or setbacks really are.

Remember, Abrego Garcia was the Maryland migrant that was wrongfully deported to that notorious prison in El Salvador. The administration was forced to bring him back, then they detained him here in the United States. But today, a judge ordered him to be released after three months in custody because she says his detainment is illegal. The administration vows to appeal.

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KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The White House, the administration, opposed this activism from a judge who is really acting as a judicial activist, which we’ve unfortunately seen in many cases across the country. Abrego Garcia is present in our country illegally. He is a proven human trafficker. He is a proven gang member. The administration has evidence of that.

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COATES: And then there’s the case where the evidence really just does not seem to be sticking, where embarrassment might be turning into humiliation, because for the second time, a grand jury has declined to indict the New York AG, Letitia James, on the allegations of mortgage fraud.

I want to bring in former federal prosecutor Ryan Croswell, who resigned over pressure to end the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. He’s also a Democratic candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania. Good to see you again, Ryan. I mean, the idea of trying to indict someone once and then twice and failing both times, that’s a gut punch for the DOJ.

RYAN CROSSWELL, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Yes. Laura, thanks for having me back. I have — only — in my 10-year career, only once have I seen a grand jury fail to return an indictment. I’ve never heard of the prosecutor bringing it a second time because it would be so humiliating after the first time, and I think it is just more evidence that this DOJ is abusing its power by pursuing Donald Trump’s enemies and protecting his friends.

COATES: And to be clear, it’s not unheard of for a prosecutor to not secure a guilty conviction after trial. But it’s a different standard for the actual indictment. It’s probable cause. And grand juries, more than once now, have found that there is not probable cause to believe that Letitia James committed a crime. That’s stunning to think about going maybe even a third time, which they absolutely could. But if they did, that might fuel her argument. This is all a vindictive prosecution because this is not what normally is done.

Watch above via CNN’s Laura Coates Live.