California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with 20 other state attorneys general, has issued an open letter criticizing the U.S. Department of Justice for what they describe as a campaign of intimidation against New York Attorney General Letitia James. The letter addresses actions taken by the Department in response to AG James’s investigation into alleged financial fraud involving former President Donald Trump and his business organization.
In their statement, the attorneys general expressed concern about the federal government’s approach: “As lawyers, public servants, and defenders of the rule of law, we are deeply alarmed by the efforts of the U.S. Department of Justice to engage the machinery of criminal law enforcement in a campaign of intimidation against New York Attorney General Letitia James.”
The group alleges that the Department is targeting AG James in retaliation for her pursuit of legal claims under New York state law. They emphasized that state attorneys general have an ethical duty to seek justice even when it involves powerful individuals or organizations.
The letter also criticizes Edward R. Martin Jr., director of what is described as the “Weaponization Working Group,” who is leading the federal investigation into AG James. According to the letter, Mr. Martin publicly stated he would “stick the landing” on this case and sent a letter suggesting AG James should resign “as an act of good faith.” The attorneys general claim that these actions undermine impartiality and integrity in criminal investigations.
“Every aspect of the Department’s campaign against AG James makes plain that it is not rooted in any legitimate suspicion of wrongdoing: President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi are both on record having made public threats against AG James,” reads another section from the open letter.
The signatories argue that using government power for personal or political purposes erodes public trust in prosecutorial authorities. “Deploying the power of the government in pursuit of personal vendettas, to achieve political ends, or to thwart the enforcement of state law is an abuse of that trust,” they wrote.
The coalition calls on the Department of Justice to halt its actions against AG James and urges others in positions of authority to oppose such conduct: “We call on the Department of Justice to cease its attacks on AG James and other political targets. And we call on others in power to stand up against the Department’s abuses. The wheels of justice must never become a tool of political and personal retribution.”
Attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin joined Bonta in signing this statement.
A copy of their open letter can be accessed online.
