Judgment in Trump civil fraud case officially entered at $464 million
NBCOCT 2023
NY AG Letitia James Indicted on Bank Fraud Charges
Above: Letitia James speaks during a press conference in New York City on Jan. 8, 2025. Image copyright: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Letitia James's indictment is a blatant act of political retribution ordered by Trump and executed by his loyalists at the Justice Department. By installing his former personal lawyer to push a case that career prosecutors opposed, Trump is acting like the country's mob boss. These baseless charges are meant to punish James for holding him accountable, undermining the rule of law and eroding the public's faith in a justice system that should be impartial, not political.
Republican narrative
Letitia James spent years turning her office into a political weapon, obsessively targeting Trump to build her own brand. Now the tables have turned. The exact attorney who tried to destroy a family that never missed a mortgage payment stands indicted for allegedly lying on one. Her own tactics have come full circle. This isn't "weaponization" — it's accountability. Justice has finally caught up to the prosecutor who thought she was above the law.