Min. Dale Edwards Executive Director Call and Post
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal judge has dismissed the criminal case against New York Attorney General Letitia James, ruling that the U.S. attorney who brought the mortgage-fraud indictment was illegally appointed, voiding the charges.
Judge Cameron McGowan Currie found that interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan had exceeded the legal limits of her temporary appointment when she signed the indictment. Because Halligan was the sole prosecutor of record, the judge ruled that “all actions flowing from her defective appointment must be set aside.”
James, who pleaded not guilty last month, had been accused of misrepresenting the status of a Virginia home she purchased in 2020 in order to secure better loan terms. But the judge emphasized that the case could not proceed on constitutional grounds, dismissing it without prejudice — meaning the Justice Department could refile only if a properly appointed prosecutor takes over.
The ruling immediately set off political reverberations. James has long argued the charges were politically motivated, noting her high-profile civil fraud victory against former President Donald Trump and multiple lawsuits challenging his administration’s policies.
With the case now collapsed, supporters are calling the decision a vindication, while legal analysts say the ruling could have wide-ranging implications for other cases brought by improperly appointed federal prosecutors.
The Call & Post will continue following this developing legal and political battle.
