Virginia Federal Prosecutor Rejects Trump Pressure to Charge Letitia James

Elizabeth Yusi, a federal prosecutor in Virginia's Eastern District, is resisting pressure from President Donald Trump to file criminal mortgage fraud charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, stating she sees no probable cause. Yusi plans to present her findings to Lindsey Halligan, the interim U.S. attorney appointed by Trump, who has a history of prosecuting Trump adversaries, including former FBI Director James Comey. The allegations against James involve claims she falsely listed a Norfolk, Virginia property as her primary residence to secure a lower mortgage rate, accusations strongly pushed by Trump and his allies such as Bill Pulte. Despite Trump's public denouncements of James as corrupt and calls for her resignation, Yusi's refusal to prosecute has led to concerns she may be fired by Halligan, who has no prosecutorial experience but has advanced cases against Trump’s political opponents. James and her attorney deny any criminal intent, highlighting clarifications made on the mortgage documents. This conflict reflects broader tensions within the Justice Department amid ongoing legal battles involving Trump and his efforts to target political adversaries.