Pam Bondi, DOJ officials caught off guard by Letitia James indictment: sources
NEW YORK -- Attorney General Pam Bondi and other senior leadership of the Justice Department were caught off guard Thursday by news that the Trump-installed U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia had presented to a grand jury seeking an indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James, multiple sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
While Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and other DOJ officials had expected Lindsey Halligan would move forward in seeking to indict James, against the recommendation of prosecutors in the office who had investigated for months the claims she committed mortgage fraud, they were not informed until after Halligan had already presented the case, sources said.
"The Justice Department is united as one team in our mission to make America safe again and as stated previously Lindsey Halligan is fully supported by the AG, DAG, and the entire team at Main Justice," a Justice Department spokesperson told ABC News in a statement.
The news that Halligan was making her presentment was not news, however, to Ed Martin - who was appointed to several senior leadership positions at DOJ by President Trump after his nomination to be the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. failed to earn support from Republican senators earlier this year.
Martin, who goes by his self-described nickname "Eagle Ed" posted on his X' account Thursday morning an image of an eagle flying over the Brooklyn Bridge - and reposted the image Thursday evening following news of James' indictment.
As ABC News previously reported, Martin and Bill Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, who initially made the criminal referral to DOJ over James' mortgage applications, have in recent weeks clashed with senior leadership of the department as they've demanded more aggressive actions to prosecute President Trump's political enemies.
In a Truth Social post last month, President Trump publicly urged Bondi to move "now" to prosecute his enemies and said he was appointing Halligan to lead the office and "get things moving."
One former senior DOJ official said it would be extraordinary for leadership at the department to not be informed of a pending indictment of a major political figure like James, which would more typically be led by the department's Public Integrity Section. Staff in that office has been eliminated to just two officials down from roughly 30 since Trump's inauguration, according to sources.
Despite her being initially caught off guard by Halligan's presentment, Bondi posted on X' following James' indictment, "One tier of justice for all Americans."
The 66-year-old attorney general is facing two counts, including bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution in connection to a home purchase in Norfolk, Virginia in 2020.
Federal prosecutors allege James claimed the property as a second residence to secure favorable loan terms, but then rented it out, saving her around $19,000.
"These charges are baseless, and the president's own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost," James said.
Local Democratic leaders were also quick to respond.
"Fear not, Tish. Donald Trump wants you, but we have you. Your front. Your back. Both of your sides. We have you," said City Council Speaker Adriene Adams.
"For Donald Trump, the purpose of government is not public service. The purpose is personal revenge," said Congressman Ritchie Torres.
James, a Democrat, won a major real estate fraud case against Trump and his company last year.
"So, the first defense will be selective prosecution.... the catalyst was the fact that Donald Trump is being vindictive. In order to convict, be convicted of bank fraud, you have to have an intent to defraud," said former Manhattan ADA Michael Bachner.
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