Trump urges Action Against political Opponents, Seeks to Install Ally as U.S.Attorney
Former President Donald trump has publicly pressured Attorney General Ashley Bondi to pursue legal action against individuals he believes unfairly targeted him,including former FBI Director James Comey,Representative Adam Schiff,and New York Attorney General Letitia James. In a Saturday social media post, Trump expressed frustration with the lack of prosecution, stating, “They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done.” He further claimed he was “indicted (5 times!) OVER NOTHING” and demanded “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”
Trump’s criticism of James stems from a five-year civil case brought by the Attorney General alleging that the trump Organization fraudulently inflated the value of its assets to obtain favorable loan and insurance terms. An appeals court reduced a $450 million penalty assessed against Trump and his sons in August.
The former president has a long-standing conflict with Comey, having fired him in 2017 during the examination into potential ties between his campaign and Russia – allegations that have since been largely disproven.Schiff led the first impeachment trial against Trump in 2019, centered on allegations that Trump withheld nearly $400 million in military aid from ukraine in an attempt to pressure president Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. The Senate ultimately acquitted Trump.
Despite his public criticisms, Trump offered praise for Bondi, stating she was “doing a GREAT job as Attorney General of the United States” and would be remembered as “one of the best attorney generals-of the ages.” However, he acknowledged James “looks like she’s very guilty” but deferred to the Justice Department to determine whether to pursue charges.
Trump also voiced displeasure with Erik Siebert, the former acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, who declined to pursue charges against James related to alleged mortgage fraud. Siebert resigned in September following disagreements with the president. Trump claimed two Democratic senators “PUSHED” Siebert, accusing him of being a ”Woke RINO” who lied about his departure.
Following Siebert’s resignation, Bondi appointed Mary “Maggie” Cleary as the acting U.S. Attorney. However,late Saturday,Trump announced his intention to appoint his former defense attorney and current White House aide,Lindsey Halligan,to the position.
“It is my honor to appoint Lindsey Halligan…as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia,” Trump stated,describing Halligan as “a tough,smart,and loyal attorney” who defended his rights during the “unconstitutional and UnAmerican raid” on mar-a-Lago.
Notably,U.S. Attorneys require Senate confirmation, meaning Halligan’s appointment is not immediate.
