WASHINGTON, DC – While President Trump’s Department of Justice continues its retaliatory prosecution of New York Attorney General Letitia James, her fellow Democratic AGs are speaking out in support of her fighting back against the administration and against the weaponization of the Department of Justice. Democratic AGs hit the airwaves recently to condemn Trump’s blatant abuse of power and reemphasize their commitment to defending AG James in the face of injustice.  

“Let’s be clear about what we’re seeing happen in this country right now: the president directed his Attorney General to issue charges against a political opponent over the recommendation of every single career law enforcement official who looked at this case,” AG Platkin told Chris Jansing. “That should send a chill down the spine of every single American, and I give my friend Tish James tremendous credit for the […] courage and grace she is displaying in the face of a tremendous injustice.” 

Washington AG Nick Brown on The Takeout with Major Garrett 

• “I think it’s a real tragedy, frankly. Not only for what she and her family are now facing but because of the politicalization of the Department of Justice, this explicit targeting of an individual rather than a crime. It’s a really sad moment for the history of the Department of Justice, which had a robust and proud legacy, and now it’s really been turned on its head.”
• “What Tish talked about during the campaign was holding the president responsible for a myriad of various crimes and malfeasance that he had a long legacy of doing in New York. What the President has done— with AG James, with Director Comey, with John Bolton—is targeted the people and, essentially, instructed his Department of Justice to find something to hold them accountable for[…] He was going after people, not offenses.”
• “This president, right now, acts with complete disregard for the Constitution of the United States. I don’t think he, frankly, cares about it. I don’t, frankly, think he cares about anybody that doesn’t agree with everything that he says. And we’ve seen, time and time again, the president act in a way that undermines not only our legal authority and our Constitution, but, sort of, the moral background that her kept this country bonded together for so long.” 

Michigan AG Dana Nessel on Katy Tur Reports 

• “New York attorney general Letitia James is one of the bravest people that I know. She is an honorable person of great integrity. That’s how she’s served[…] She’s been a leader among Attorneys General all across the nation.”
• “Everybody knows that Tish James is a person who believes very much in the strength of our laws and in making sure that she is law abiding, as we all are[…] These charges are spurious, and they will not hold up in a court of law.”
• “Honestly, I don’t know that this case will ever see a jury because there are so many valid motions that can be made in order to throw out these charges. I don’t know that they stand up… I see a 0% chance of any conviction against Tish James.”
• “I think they’ve made a mockery of the Department of Justice. And we know that not just from these criminal cases, where every time the president suggests that someone should be charged, they magically end up being actually indicted, but we see that as well in the many civil cases that the Democratic Attorneys General have brought against the Department of Justice.”
• “The Trump administration doesn’t care about violating the Constitution. They never have, and they’re never going to. So, it’s up to the rest of us to do everything we can to hold him accountable.” 

New Jersey AG Matthew Platkin on Chris Jansing Reports: 

• “I think this country is stronger than these actions being taken by this president. I think the people have clearly rejected what this president is trying to do by weaponizing a criminal justice system against political opponents.”
• “Should we back down when he illegally takes away health care funding and cuts law enforcement services, and takes services away from kids with special needs, or our veterans or seniors? That is what we’re fighting for. He is punishing people who stand up to him. We are standing up for the people of our state.”
• “Look, I’m in New Jersey. We’re across the river. We have a friendly rivalry with our neighboring state, but we share a commitment to the rule of law. And I wake up every morning and I’m proud to go to work in this effort with my colleague Tish James.”
• “I have indicted countless people in this job. I can’t even fathom that I would go into court myself when every single person in my agency said we shouldn’t do it and disregard their advice, because a political figure I’m associated with told me that’s what I should do. That type of cowardice is how authoritarianism takes hold.” 

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