The U.S. attorney’s office in Albany has issued two subpoenas to New York Attorney General Letitia James related to her high-profile civil cases against President Donald Trump and the National Rifle Association, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The subpoenas mark a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s scrutiny of James, one of the president’s most outspoken legal adversaries.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department also opened a separate investigation into mortgage fraud allegations against James, which she has denied. The New York Times first reported the subpoenas.
“Any weaponization of the justice system should disturb every American,” James’ spokesperson, Geoff Burgan, said in a statement. “We stand firmly behind our successful litigation against the Trump Organization and the National Rifle Association, and we will continue to fight for the rights of New Yorkers.”
James’ civil fraud lawsuit against Trump resulted in a Manhattan judge ruling last year that the president and other defendants, including his adult sons, had fraudulently inflated Trump’s net worth and the value of his real estate holdings. The court imposed a massive financial penalty that, with interest, has grown to more than $500 million. Trump is appealing the decision.
Separately, James’ office won a fraud case against the NRA, with a jury finding that the organization’s longtime chief executive had misused funds for personal luxury expenses.
James’ personal attorney, Abbe Lowell, sharply criticized the subpoenas, calling them a clear act of political retaliation.
“Investigating the fraud case Attorney General James won against President Trump and his businesses is one of the most blatant examples of this administration carrying out the president’s retribution campaign,” Lowell said. “Weaponizing the Justice Department to punish an elected official for doing her job is an attack on the rule of law.”
The subpoenas were issued by the office of Acting U.S. Attorney John Sarcone, who briefly sought the Republican nomination for New York attorney general in 2022 while James was running for re-election. Sarcone’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Sarcone has drawn controversy since assuming his role. His office temporarily barred a newspaper from receiving press releases after it reported that Sarcone had listed a boarded-up building as his residence.
He was appointed first assistant U.S. attorney in July, a position that allows him to serve as acting U.S. attorney for a limited time in a district covering much of upstate New York, including Albany.
