DOJ Official Urges Letitia James to Resign Amid Fraud Probe
Ed Martin of the Justice Department urged New York Attorney General Letitia James to resign following a mortgage fraud investigation into her properties.
Justice Department official Ed Martin, director of the Weaponization Working Group, has called for the resignation of New York Attorney General Letitia James. In a letter to her attorney, Martin stated that James would best serve the "good of the state and nation" by stepping down as an "act of good faith."
The demand follows a mortgage fraud investigation into properties owned by James in Brooklyn and Virginia. The probe was initiated after Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte alleged that James falsified property records to secure favorable loan terms. Martin is also conducting a similar investigation into Senator Adam Schiff and has stated that if indictments are not obtained, he intends to "name and shame" the subjects.
Martin's tactics have drawn criticism from both the defense and Justice Department leadership. On August 15, Martin visited James' Brooklyn townhouse and posed for photographers, an action that Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche reportedly described as unhelpful and counterproductive. James' attorney, Abbe Lowell, condemned the visit as a "made-for-media stunt" and argued that the investigation is a politically motivated effort to fulfill President Donald Trump's promises of retribution.
Lowell has denied the fraud allegations, asserting that correspondence proves James did not falsely claim the Virginia home as her primary residence. The conflict follows a history of legal battles between James and the Trump administration, including a $454 million civil fraud judgment James previously won against the president.
