Attorney General Pam Bondi Surprised by Grand Jury Indictment of Letitia James
Attorney General Pam Bondi was caught off guard Thursday when President Donald Trump’s appointed U.S. Attorney, Lindsey Halligan, secured an indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James from a grand jury, according to two sources familiar with the situation.
Halligan, who has been leading the Eastern District of Virginia for just over two weeks, did not coordinate with Bondi or other senior officials at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. She also did not provide them with any prior notice about the timing of the case before presenting it to a grand jury.
On Thursday, a grand jury indicted James on two charges—bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution—marking a significant step in the Justice Department’s ongoing pursuit of legal actions against political adversaries of former President Trump. CNN previously reported that both Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche believed the case against James was weak, with advice from former U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert and career prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia reflecting similar doubts.
Halligan had informed some individuals, including at least one Justice Department official, that she planned to proceed with charges against James in recent days. She presented the case on her own before the grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday.
Originally, Halligan had considered presenting the case in Norfolk, Virginia, partly due to expectations that the grand jury there would be more sympathetic. However, the case will be heard in Norfolk as planned.
Justice Department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin responded to CNN’s inquiries, saying, “As a matter of law, we will not discuss any grand jury matters with the media, but this Justice Department is united in our mission to make America safe again. The Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, and the entire team at Main Justice continue to empower our U.S. Attorneys to pursue justice in every case.”
CNN has reached out to the Eastern District of Virginia for additional comment.
This story has been updated with new information.
