ALBANY, N.Y. — Letitia James made Donald Trump a central target of her campaign for New York attorney general, repeatedly branding the then-president a “con man” and a “carnival barker” while vowing to shine a “bright light into every dark corner of his real estate dealings.”
Five years later, that promise has brought her to the brink of delivering one of the most consequential blows ever dealt to Trump’s business empire.
On Tuesday, a New York judge ruled that Trump had defrauded banks, insurers and others by exaggerating the value of his assets on financial documents used to secure loans and other deals.
The ruling places some of Trump’s companies under the control of a court-appointed receiver, potentially stripping him of authority over marquee properties such as Trump Tower, office buildings and a sprawling suburban estate.
For James, a Democrat and one of Trump’s most persistent legal adversaries, the decision marks another chapter in a career defined by high-profile confrontations with powerful figures.
Below is a look at her political background and some of the most significant cases she has led.
A Campaign Built Around Taking on Trump
James’ rise to statewide office was closely intertwined with her outspoken opposition to Trump. As she campaigned for attorney general in 2018, she openly criticized the Republican president and pledged aggressive oversight of his business activities.
That rhetoric drew national attention and fierce backlash from Trump and his allies but it also resonated with Democratic voters. James won the election, becoming the first Black woman elected to statewide office in New York, the state’s first Black attorney general and the first woman elected to the position. (Barbara Underwood, a predecessor, had been appointed rather than elected.)
James went on to win reelection in 2022 after briefly considering a run for governor.
Lawsuits and Investigations Targeting Trump
Almost immediately after taking office in 2019, James turned her attention to Trump. She launched multiple lawsuits challenging policies of the Trump administration, including actions related to immigration and environmental regulations.
She also inherited an ongoing state lawsuit against the Trump Foundation, which had been filed before her tenure. James steered that case to a settlement that included a $2 million fine and restrictions on how Trump and his children could operate charitable organizations in New York.
Her most sweeping action came last year, when she filed a civil lawsuit accusing Trump, his company and top executives of deceiving banks, insurers and others by inflating asset values and Trump’s net worth on financial paperwork.
Announcing the case, James famously quipped, “It’s the art of the steal,” a pointed reference to Trump’s book The Art of the Deal.
On Tuesday, a judge sided with James, ruling that Trump and his company committed fraud and ordering some of his business licenses rescinded. If the ruling survives an expected appeal, it could effectively bar Trump from doing business in New York and strip him of the ability to make strategic and financial decisions over key properties in the state.
The Cuomo Investigation and a Political Firestorm
In 2021, James oversaw one of the most explosive investigations in modern New York politics: an inquiry into then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who had been accused by multiple women of sexual harassment.
Lawyers hired by James concluded that 11 women were telling the truth when they said Cuomo touched them inappropriately, commented on their appearance or made sexually suggestive remarks. The findings triggered Cuomo’s resignation and abruptly ended the political ascent of a once-dominant Democratic figure.
Cuomo has since claimed he was the victim of an overzealous #MeToo-era prosecution and accused James of using the investigation to advance her own political ambitions.
James briefly launched a campaign for governor after Cuomo stepped down but abandoned it within weeks, opting instead to seek a second term as attorney general. She has repeatedly denied that her investigation of Cuomo was politically motivated.
Taking on the NRA
Since 2020, James has also led a major lawsuit against the National Rifle Association, accusing its leadership of widespread financial mismanagement.
Her case alleges that top NRA executives used the gun rights organization to enrich themselves and their associates, misusing funds intended to support the group’s mission. As attorney general, James has regulatory authority over tax-exempt nonprofits in New York, and she framed the lawsuit as an effort to protect the NRA from internal abuses.
Critics, however, argued that James — a vocal supporter of gun control was attempting to weaken or silence the nation’s most influential gun rights organization. She initially sought to dissolve the NRA entirely, a request a judge rejected, though the broader lawsuit was allowed to proceed.
From City Hall Watchdog to State Power Broker
Before becoming attorney general, James served as New York City’s Public Advocate, a role designed to help residents navigate government bureaucracy and act as a watchdog over City Hall.
The position made her a highly visible presence across the city. She frequently appeared at crime scenes, community meetings and news conferences, amplifying the concerns of everyday New Yorkers and building name recognition that would later fuel her statewide campaigns.
Earlier in her career, James served on the New York City Council and worked as a public defender and an assistant state attorney general.
She graduated from Lehman College in the Bronx and earned her law degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C.
A Career Defined by Confrontation
From Donald Trump to Andrew Cuomo to the National Rifle Association, James’ tenure as attorney general has been marked by confrontations with some of the most powerful figures and institutions in American public life.
Supporters see her as a relentless enforcer of the law, willing to challenge entrenched power in defense of accountability. Critics view her as a partisan actor who uses the legal system to pursue political ends.
With the fraud ruling against Trump now hanging over one of the world’s most famous business figures, James’ approach and its consequences are again at the center of national attention.
