Grand jury declines to charge Letitia James after first case dismissed

December 5, 2025

A Virginia federal grand jury has refused to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James on bank fraud and false statement charges, dealing another setback to the Trump administration's prosecution efforts against perceived political opponents. This development follows a judge's recent dismissal of the initial case on grounds that the Trump-appointed prosecutor lacked legal authority to hold the position. The charges stemmed from allegations that James misrepresented her intended use of a Norfolk home purchase to obtain favorable mortgage terms, though she maintained the case was politically motivated retaliation for her successful civil fraud prosecution of Trump.

Who is affected

New York Attorney General Letitia James
President Donald Trump
Former FBI Director James Comey
James's great-niece (unnamed)
Former national security adviser John Bolton
The Trump Organization

What action is being taken

John Bolton is currently charged with sending and willfully retaining national defense information.

Why it matters

This case represents a significant development in the contentious intersection of politics and justice, highlighting tensions around potential politicization of federal prosecutions. The grand jury's rare rejection of the indictment—extraordinarily uncommon in federal cases—suggests weak evidentiary support for charges against a state attorney general who successfully prosecuted Trump for civil fraud. The outcome raises serious questions about whether the justice system is being weaponized against political adversaries and threatens public confidence in prosecutorial independence and integrity.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC