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Letitia James' 'trophy pledge' against Trump an

'embarrassment' to the NYS bar: Legal expert
In a 2018 video clip, then-candidate James allegedly said Trump will know her name 'personally'
By Charles Creitz Fox News

Published October 5, 2023 7:00am EDT

Letitia James' actions are an 'embarrassment' to the NYS bar: Jonathan Turley
George Washington University Law Prof. Jonathan Turley sounds off on 'Hannity' as New York attorney general's campaign comments draw scrutiny.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James' campaign pledge to sue former President
Donald Trump and reportedly be a "real pain in the a--" to him should be considered an
embarrassment, said George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley.

Turley told "Hannity" on Wednesday that he previously criticized James while she was
running for office in 2018 after she made such boasts and pledges about litigiously
pursuing Trump.

Turley said he previously wrote about his reservations that there were "serious ethical
problems with a prosecutor really trying to secure office on the pledge to nail one person."

He called James' promises a "trophy pledge" to "bag" her quarry.

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HE'S BEST TO ‘UNITE’ GOP

Letitia James (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty)

Turley noted James never previously described exactly which criminal or civil offenses
Trump would be charged with. In a montage of clips played by host Sean Hannity, James
previously referenced threats to "fundamental rights," Trump's "abuses" and an interest in
finding whether the then-president "laundered money."

"[N]ot mentioning what he might be charged with, [James said] I'm just going to charge
him with something," Turley added.

"That should be an embarrassment to the entire New York bar," he said. "I think that [Alvin]
Bragg should be an embarrassment. His case is, in my view, just ridiculous. It barely holds
together."

The cases brought by James and Bragg — the New York County district attorney — are
essentially the "recreational use of the laws to pursue unpopular persons," Turley
suggested.

TRUMP CIVIL CASE COULD AFFECT NEW YORK STATUS AS CORPORATE CAPITAL:
EXPERT

He underlined that he was not particularly analyzing the merits behind any of the flawed
real estate valuation allegations or questions about bank filings, but simply the "selective"
isolating of Trump and the Trump Organization.

James has expressed little interest in pursuing Democrats or liberal businesses accused
of similar conduct and has instead chosen to also launch litigation against the National
Rifle Association, he noted.

"She's really developed the signature that she will use all of the levers of her office to go
against political opponents," Turley said.

On the subject of the actual allegations against Trump — in particular those surrounding
the valuation of Mar-a-Lago — Turley said New York State has a "unique" law that does not
require intent-to-defraud or loss of money by a financial institution.

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Trump said valuations cited by Judge Arthur Engoron are incorrect, and that no entity was
financially hurt in any of the relevant transactions, and claimed Palm Beach County
officials or experts also disagree with the figures cited by the judge.

"Under the New York law, you don't have to cost anyone a dime for James to demand
what's called ‘disgorgement of profits,' and that's what she's arguing for here," Turley said.

"But she's using a nuclear option here, which I can't understand, in demanding all of this
relief."

For more Culture, Media, Education, Opinion and channel coverage,

visit foxnews.com/media .

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media politics and culture for Fox News Digital.
,

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast
Journalism. Story tips can be sent to charles.creitz@fox.com.

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