Letitia James: New York state attorney general Trump Organization case

Protestors briefly blocked traffic at Donald Trump's New York trial. Letitia James cheered as Trump was fined $350m.

On the morning that closing arguments were set to begin at Donald Trump's New York fraud trial, a small crowd of protestors briefly blocked traffic to denounce the former president. They chanted "No dictators in the USA." However, when Letitia James arrived at the courthouse, the protestors changed course and cheered, "Thank you, Tish! Thank you, Tish!" as she ascended the courthouse steps.

The end of Trump's fraud trial marked the closing of the New York attorney general's highest-profile case to date. James, who has been the public face of the trial since its start, has been the target of Trump's vitriol both inside and outside the courtroom. Trump has claimed that he did nothing wrong and that the New York State Attorney General is corrupt, but James has remained undeterred.

On the last day of the trial, James told reporters that the personal attacks don't really bother her. The judge overseeing the case handed her a stunning victory, fining Trump over $350 million and banning him and his sons from doing business in New York for years. James has campaigned on the belief that everyone must play by the same rules, regardless of their status or power.

Raised in Brooklyn, James attended public schools before obtaining her law degree at Howard University in Washington DC. She has vowed to "take that power back" from corporations and corrupt politicians, shining a light into the murkiest of swamps and acting as a steward of justice.

In addition to Trump's fraud trial, James is pursuing other high-profile cases, including civil cases against top officials of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Catholic church. She has also filed a lawsuit against Pepsi over its single-use plastic polluting the Buffalo River in New York.

Despite her critics' attempts to paint her as an opportunist, James has remained focused on her work as the state's attorney general. She briefly ran for governor in 2021 but dropped out when it became clear that much of the state's Democratic party stood behind another candidate. She has continued to emphasize that her focus is on the cases in her office and has positioned herself as an ally to the current governor, while also maintaining independence on certain issues.

As James looks to the future, her specific ambitions remain unclear. However, she has made it clear that she is committed to finishing the job and continuing her work as attorney general. For James, the pursuit of justice and accountability remains at the forefront, regardless of the political challenges she may face.