New York Attorney General Letitia James is urging a federal judge to let her dig into what she calls the “illegal and unethical” origins of the bank-fraud case brought against her last year, laying out in a sweeping court filing what she describes as a coordinated effort inside the Trump administration to manufacture an indictment against one of the former president’s highest-profile political rivals.
In a 17-page motion filed Monday, James asked U.S. District Judge Jamar Walker to dismiss the charges outright, arguing that the prosecution is the product of “unprecedented, extensive, and outrageous misconduct.” But if the court declines to throw out the case, she pressed the judge to at least grant her access to key communications among Trump administration officials, including President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte, Justice Department official Ed Martin, and interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan.
James’ request comes as she faces a two-count federal indictment that she says never should have been brought — and which, she argues, was pushed through by officials eager to show their loyalty to Trump and punish her for pursuing civil and criminal investigations involving the former president.
Her filing described a “three-pronged blitz” inside the administration. First, she said, FHFA Director Pulte relied on what she called a dubious set of documents to refer her for criminal prosecution. James told the court that the referral appeared to be based on materials pulled not from any federal database but from the blog of Sam Antar, a self-styled right-wing “investigator” who has publicly taken credit for feeding allegations to Pulte.
According to James, that left three possibilities — each troubling. Either Pulte relied exclusively on a fringe blogger’s claims, purchased mortgage records himself from county offices, or illegally accessed her loan files. “The origin of the exhibits to the referral are equally suspect,” her filing said.
She then turned to Ed Martin, describing what she characterized as improper pressure and unusual behavior by a senior Justice Department official. James said Martin attempted to coerce her into resigning while an investigation was active, even sending a letter to her counsel declaring that stepping down “would best serve the good of the state and nation.” Her filing described Martin “stalking” her Brooklyn home in August with a New York Post photographer in tow — an episode she framed as an intimidation tactic.
“There is no conceivable legitimate reason for Mr. Martin to stalk AG James’s home,” her motion said.
The filing also targeted Halligan, the interim U.S. Attorney who ultimately presented the case to a grand jury. James argued Halligan was “unlawfully appointed” and selected solely because of her loyalty to Trump. She pointed to reporting that Pulte entered the Oval Office “minutes after James was indicted” to boast that he and Halligan had “pulled it off.”
James acknowledged that courts typically reserve dismissal for conduct that “shocks the conscience,” such as brutality or criminal behavior. But, she said, the alleged manipulation of federal power in her case raises an “issue of first impression.”
“Whether the government’s willingness to abuse its power and break its own rules and systems to obtain this indictment can sufficiently ‘shock the conscience’ is an open question,” she wrote — one she is urging the court to confront head-on.
