Well, folks, it seems the Justice Department just hit another brick wall in its quest to pin mortgage fraud on New York Attorney General Letitia James, as a Virginia grand jury flat-out rejected the charges on Thursday.
According to Breitbart News, this latest setback follows a judge’s dismissal of earlier charges against James due to a questionable appointment of a U.S. attorney, marking yet another stumble for federal prosecutors in a case dripping with political undertones.
Let’s rewind to 2020, when James purchased a modest home in Norfolk, Virginia, where she has family ties. The allegations center on her signing a document promising to use the property as a personal residence for at least a year. Instead, prosecutors claimed she rented it out to a family of three, allegedly securing better loan terms meant for personal use rather than investment properties.
Fast forward to this year, and the plot thickens with President Donald Trump pushing for charges against James and former FBI Director James Comey. Amid this pressure, Lindsey Halligan, a former White House aide and Trump lawyer, was installed as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Halligan replaced Erik Siebert, a seasoned prosecutor who resigned under apparent administration duress.
Halligan didn’t waste time, personally presenting the case against James to a grand jury shortly after taking office. Within weeks of Halligan’s appointment, Comey was indicted, and James faced charges of bank fraud and false statements tied to that Norfolk home purchase. It’s hard not to raise an eyebrow at the speed and focus here, especially given the political backdrop.
But the house of cards began to crumble when U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie ruled that Halligan’s appointment mechanism was invalid. This led to the dismissal of the initial case against James last month. The Justice Department tried to salvage things by retroactively designating Halligan as a “Special Attorney” under Attorney General Pam Bondi, but the judge wasn’t buying it.
Undeterred, prosecutors took another swing at indicting James this week, only to be rebuffed by a grand jury in Virginia on Thursday. This kind of rejection is rare—there’s an old saying that a prosecutor could convince a grand jury to indict just about anything, yet here we are. It’s a telling sign of the shaky ground this case seems to stand on.
James’ legal team hasn’t minced words, arguing this prosecution reeks of vindictiveness for her past actions against Trump, including a lawsuit where she secured a judgment—later overturned—over alleged fraud in his real estate valuations. They’ve called out what they see as “outrageous government conduct” leading up to the charges. While the judge didn’t rule on those claims, the dismissal of Halligan’s appointment spoke volumes.
“It is time for this unchecked weaponization of our justice system to stop,” James declared, hitting the nail on the head for many who see this as politically charged overreach. Her words echo a growing concern among conservatives that our legal institutions are being bent to settle personal scores rather than uphold impartial justice. If this isn’t a wake-up call to restore balance, what is?
Her attorney, Abbe Lowell, doubled down, stating, “This should be the end of this case.” He warned that pressing forward after a court ruling and grand jury rejection would be a “shocking assault on the rule of law.” That’s a bold claim, but when you see the Justice Department’s recent string of setbacks under the current administration, it’s tough not to wonder if politics is clouding prosecutorial judgment.
Even if prosecutors manage to revive charges against James, securing a conviction looks like a steep climb. The case’s foundation already seems riddled with procedural flaws and accusations of bias. For those of us who value a justice system free from partisan gamesmanship, this saga is a frustrating watch.
Trump, never one to shy away from a megaphone, took to Truth Social with, “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” While his frustration with perceived enemies is understandable, pushing for prosecutions that keep faltering under scrutiny risks undermining the very system he claims to defend. True justice demands fairness, not just fervor.
Word from an anonymous source suggests the Justice Department isn’t ready to throw in the towel and may try again for an indictment. But with each failed attempt, the optics worsen, fueling arguments that this is more about political retaliation than genuine accountability. Conservatives should be wary of any process that appears to prioritize vendettas over principle.
James, for her part, remains a lightning rod—her aggressive pursuit of Trump has made her a hero to some and a target to others. Yet, regardless of one’s view on her policies, the integrity of our legal system must come first. If charges can’t stand on their own merit, they shouldn’t stand at all.
So here we are, watching a high-stakes drama unfold in Virginia courtrooms, where the lines between justice and politics blur more by the day. This grand jury’s rejection might not be the final chapter, but it’s a loud reminder that the rule of law isn’t a tool for personal grudges. Let’s hope the Justice Department takes note before swinging again.