Letitia James pleads not guilty on federal bank fraud charges
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New York Attorney General Letitia James during a press conference on Oct. 21 in New York City. Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
New York Attorney General Letitia James pleaded not guilty on Friday morning to federal bank fraud charges.
Why it matters: President Trump publicly demanded James' prosecution, and went as far as pressuring a federal prosecutor to leave his job after he refused to pursue charges. James has called the case "baseless" and motivated by political retribution over the civil fraud case she brought against Trump.
Driving the news: A tentative trial date was set for Jan. 26, per the New York Times. Prosecutors said they expect the trial to take about a week. The Justice Department (DOJ) said it would call eight to 10 witnesses, per CNN.
- The White House referred questions about the case to the DOJ, which told Axios it had no comment.
The latest: After the arraignment, James' attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the indictment and bar acting U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan from prosecuting cases and performing other duties of her job.
- The filing said Halligan's appointment as an interim U.S. attorney was unlawful.
- "My faith is strong," James said in a Friday statement. "I have this belief in the justice system and the rule of law. And I have a belief in America and all of its individuals who have stood with me — not only in New York but all across this nation."
Zoom out: The Federal Housing Finance Agency wrote a criminal referral for James in April for allegedly falsifying bank statements to receive "more favorable loan terms" on a second home in Norfolk, Virginia.
- A grand jury in Virginia indicted James earlier this month on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.
What she's saying: "This is nothing more than a continuation of the president's desperate weaponization of our justice system," James said on Oct. 9. "He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York State Attorney General."
- In a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump for improper business practices, James secured a $364 million fine. It was later tossed by an appeals court.
Behind the scenes: In a separate Thursday filing, James' legal team highlighted messages Halligan sent to a legal reporter at Lawfare regarding James.
- James' team called their interaction "unusual and improper," alleging that it violated several legal and ethical codes.
Go deeper: What to know about Trump's DOJ indictment of Letitia James
Editor's note: This story was updated with details throughout.
