Elise Stefanik files bar complaint against NY AG Letitia James for 'biased investigation and prosecution of President Trump'

On Monday, Rep. Elise Stefanik filed an official Bar complaint with the Committee on Professional Standards against New York Attorney General Letitia James, calling her handling of the state's civil fraud case against Donald Trump "shameful," 

Stefanik called on the Attorney Grievance Committee in Albany to launch an investigation into James' conduct, namely her countless "extrajudicial ...highly inappropriate and prejudicial comments on social media," and discipline her accordingly.

In her letter, Stefanik accused James of having "violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by conducting a biased investigation and prosecution of President Trump and by attacking President Trump through extrajudicial statements during a trial."

She explained that in just the first five weeks of the trial, which began in October 2023, James made over 50 comments on social media related to Trump. She noted that while all Americans have the right to speak their minds, James' conduct "appears to violate her special responsibilities as an attorney."

The New York Republican also drew attention to James' "personal vendetta" against Trump, arguing that while campaigning for the position of attorney general, she had engaged in "extreme partisan hostility" towards the then-president. At one point, she "explicitly promised" to go after him, and used that message to fundraise.

Stefanik went on to point out that James' "trial publicity" raised "serious ethical concerns," noting that she has "repeatedly made public statements personally attacking President Trump, publicly commenting on and mischaracterizing evidence, attacking the credibility of witnesses, and maligning President Trump and other parties and witnesses when discussing the lawsuit, even as trial on these matters remains ongoing."

"To remedy the significant and ongoing harm to the public and to protect the profession," she concluded, "Ms. James should be suspended on an interim basis, and then she should be disbarred or suspended."

Stefanik attached screenshots of all the aforementioned comments James made on social media, and written copies of the captions.

This is not the first time Stefanik has gone after those overseeing cases against Trump. In November, she filed a complaint against the judge in the former president's New York case for "inappropriate bias and judicial intemperance."