In a very funny incident coming the day after she faced a criminal referral to the DOJ over alleged mortgage fraud, New York Attorney General Letitia James pretended to be on a phone call to avoid answering questions from reporters with the New York Post.
As background, NY AG James, who tried to fine President Trump nearly half a billion dollars for allegedly overestimating his assets when requesting loans that he paid back, was caught lying on mortgage applications, doing everything from claiming a five-unit apartment complex was four units or under to claiming a house in Virginia was her principal residence.
So, on Wednesday, April 16, the morning after news of the criminal referral and potential charges broke on the night of Tuesday, April 15, reporters swarmed NY AG James outside her home in Brooklyn and tried to ask questions, which in turn led to James trying to duck away from them to avoid those questions.
Namely, James, the New York Post reports, pretended to talk on her cellphone in what was an obviously “feigned” call as reporters launched volleys of questions at her and demanded answers as to the alleged mortgage fraud, the details of it, and the federal criminal referral. Here are pictures of the incident that made their way to X:
Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director William Pulte requested the charges be brought against NY AG James in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy AG Todd Blanche. Beginning it, Director Pulte said that NY AG James was jeopardizing the soundness of the FHFA, writing, “Pursuant to my authority as Director of the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (“U.S.Federal Housing” or “FHFA”), I am referring the matter below. As regulator of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks, we take very seriously allegations of mortgage fraud or other criminal activity. Such misconduct jeopardizes the safety and soundness of FHFA’s regulated entities and the security and stability of the U.S. mortgage market.”
Continuing, Pulte said that what James has done justifies throwing the book at her, saying, “In the course of exercising U.S. Federal Housing’s authorities under the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, U.S. Federal Housing has identified matters that are appropriate for referral to the U.S. Department of Justice for consideration of criminal prosecution.”
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Giving a few examples of her allegedly illegal behavior, Pulte said, “Based on media reports, Ms. Letitia James has, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms. This has potentially included 1) falsifying residence status for a Norfolk, Virginia-based home in order to secure a lower mortgage rate and 2) misrepresenting property descriptions to meet stringent requirements for government backed loans and government assistance.”
Commenting on the matter to Laura Ingraham, Jonathan Turley said the situation seems dire for AG James, noting, “And this has been prosecuted in the past. We have not heard her side of this, but these documents themselves are quite damning. It’s hard to see how the residences listed were her principal residence, the business about her father is just bizarre.”
Watch Ingraham expose and explain AG James’ new woes here: