The New York State Unified Court System has been asked to investigate Attorney General Letitia James following serious allegations of mortgage fraud.
According to the Washington Examiner, America First Legal filed a bar complaint after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte referred James to the Department of Justice for allegedly falsifying records to secure home loans.
The criminal referral centers on James's Norfolk, Virginia property and a five-family home in Brooklyn. Pulte claims James consistently misrepresented the Brooklyn property as having only four units in building permit applications and mortgage documents, potentially allowing her to benefit from reduced mortgage rates and lower monthly payments under federal assistance programs.
America First Legal's senior litigation counsel Nicholas Barry emphasized the severity of the allegations against James. The organization is pushing for an immediate investigation by the New York Bar Committee on Professional Standards for the Albany region.
AFL Vice President Dan Epstein delivered a scathing assessment of the situation in the bar complaint notice:
If what Director Pulte uncovered is true, then we have a sitting state Attorney General who made false certifications to the United States in return for federal benefits. But why worry about committing fraud against American taxpayers when you are willing to buck your ethical duties to the bar? For a state prosecutor who has maligned the President of the United States for political gain, public accountability will serve as a cure to Letitia James' endless lawfare and abuse of power.
The allegations suggest James could have secured mortgage rates approximately 1% lower than standard rates through misrepresentation of her property details.
President Trump has intensified pressure on James, calling for her immediate resignation through his Truth Social platform on April 13. The demand came just days before Pulte's letter emerged.
James has been a prominent figure in multiple lawsuits against Trump and his businesses, leading to accusations of political persecution from the president and his supporters. The timing of these allegations has raised questions about potential political motivations.
James responded to the accusations on April 17, defending her position in strong terms:
I will not be silenced. I will not be bullied. I will not bend. I will not break. And I will not bow to anyone. No one is above the law, including the president of these United States.
The ethics complaint marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between James and her critics. AFL's Nicholas Barry pointed out that James appears to have compromised her integrity for financial gain.
The investigation could have serious implications for James's career if the allegations are proven true. The New York Bar Committee's findings could lead to disciplinary action against the sitting attorney general.
Barry notably turned James's own words against her, emphasizing that no one, regardless of their position or power, stands above the law.
Attorney General Letitia James faces mounting pressure as both the Department of Justice and the New York State Unified Court System examine allegations of mortgage fraud. The criminal referral from Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte has triggered an ethics investigation that could potentially impact her position as New York's top law enforcement official. The controversy centers on James's alleged misrepresentation of property details in mortgage applications, with claims she falsified records for properties in Virginia and Brooklyn.
