Grand jury refuses to charge Letitia James as DOJ keeps pushing for indictment

A grand jury declined to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday, marking the second time in one week that the Department of Justice was unable to secure charges against one of President Donald Trump’s top political foes.The grand jury heard the latest case against James in Alexandria, Virginia, two sources told Fox News, after a separate grand jury declined to indict James in Norfolk last week.A judge dismissed the initial charges against James after finding that the prosecutor who brought the case, Lindsey Halligan, was unlawfully appointed as U.S. attorney.FEDERAL JUDGE VOICES DOUBT ABOUT TRUMP APPOINTEE’S ABILITY TO CHARGE COMEY, JAMESAttorney General Pam Bondi appointed Halligan in September at Trump’s urging. The president said he wanted Halligan, a White House aide with no prosecutorial experience, in place to “get things moving.” Halligan proceeded to quickly bring charges against both James and former FBI Director James Comey soon after she took office, but in an unusual move, she was the lone prosecutor to sign the indictments. A federal judge found Halligan was improperly appointed and disqualified her, leading the judge to toss out both indictments.DOJ leaders have stood behind Halligan, describing her as a “U.S. attorney” in a recent statement and telling the court the executive branch has the final say in who serves as the top prosecutor in each court district, and that James and Comey sought to disqualify Halligan’s indictments over minor “paperwork” matters.In a statement provided to Fox News, James’ attorney Abbe Lowell said the “unprecedented rejection” of his client’s charges “makes even clearer that this case should never have seen the light of day.””This case already has been a stain on this Department’s reputation and raises troubling questions about its integrity,” Lowell said. “Any further attempt to revive these discredited charges would be a mockery of our system of justice.”Fox News reached out to a DOJ spokesperson for comment.This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.Bill Mears, Jake Gibson and David Spunt contributed to this report. 

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