When state Judge Arthur Engoron ordered former President Donald Trump and his companies to pay over $355 million for widespread fraud on Friday, it was another stunning victory for New York Attorney General Letitia James. After just five years as New York state's attorney general, James has built a reputation as a giant-slayer, targeting and even toppling some of the most powerful figures and organizations in the United States, reports NPR.
In 2019, when Trump was still in the White House, she pursued a lawsuit against his charitable operation, accusing him of misusing donations. She prevailed, forcing Trump to shut down his Trump Foundation and pay a $2 million fine. Her corruption lawsuit against the National Rifle Association, filed in 2020 and now before a jury in Manhattan, pushed the once-mighty gun rights group to the brink of insolvency. Her office's 2021 probe of sexual harassment allegations produced a damning report that forced the resignation of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Her latest victory, against Trump and two of his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, is clearly her largest to date, raising questions about the future of the real estate empire that helped shape Trump's public identity. While her track record taking on and winning big cases has won James accolades, it has also drawn criticism. Trump and his allies have long claimed her choice of targets reflects bias, since she campaigned on taking him down. Conservative media have amplified "political witch hunt" claims by Trump, who faces dozens of criminal charges in four separate cases. The next test for James' crusading legal approach is expected any day, when a Manhattan jury returns a verdict in the NRA corruption trial.