Indictment of New York attorney general Leticia James is “not what we expect in the United States”

In response to the federal indictment of Leticia James — the New York attorney general who brought a mortgage fraud case against President Trump in 2022 — in a case presented by a Trump loyalist with no prosecutorial experience after Trump called for James’ prosecution last month, Issue One Vice President of Advocacy Alix Fraser issued the following statement:

“New York Attorney General Leticia James’ indictment is the latest of a growing list of concerning examples of President Donald Trump weaponizing the Justice Department to punish his perceived enemies and those who have checked his overreach and held him accountable. For this reason, James is correct that the president’s ‘actions are a grave violation of our constitutional order.’ If dedicated civil servants can be persecuted simply for upholding the rule of law, this is a threat to the system of checks and balances that has been at the heart of our republic for the last 250 years.

“This is not what we expect in the United States of America — the oldest democracy on the planet. Our Justice Department has operated independently with a central mission to uphold the rule of law and preserve our Constitution. This indictment, and several other recent cases, do not meet the high standards we have set for ourselves as Americans.

“Normalizing unchecked presidential power endangers the rights and safety of every American. The question we must ask ourselves is if the law still reigns supreme in America — or if the whims of one leader should supersede our sacred democratic values. Congress must reassert its constitutional role to prevent any president, regardless of party, from using the justice system to settle personal grievances. This is not who we are as a nation, and it cannot become the path we choose if we are to remain a beacon of hope for the rest of the world.”

Background

Last month, Issue One released the We the People Playbook, a new policy platform to address executive overreach and protect our country’s system of checks and balances. The platform is designed to restore congressional authority in key areas rooted in specific constitutional responsibilities outlined in Article I of the Constitution — intended to stand as enduring, nonpartisan principles. The reforms coincided with a new national survey Issue One conducted in partnership with YouGov which found growing voter concern about the concentration of power in the presidency.

The poll and policy platform are both part of Issue One’s Check the Exec campaign — a crosspartisan effort urging members of Congress to defend the Constitution and uphold our system of checks and balances.