Allegations of Targeting Trump by New York Attorney General's Office

<p>A New York prosecutor has accused the office of state Attorney General Letitia James of directing employees to "find and pursue crimes" involving President Donald Trump and related entities, according to a report from the Times Union.</p><p>The allegation is based on an email sent by Assistant Attorney General Daniel Wiesenfeld, who works in the Investor Protection Bureau of the New York Office of the Attorney General, led by Shamiso Maswoswe. The email was reportedly deleted from the office’s servers. James’ office characterized the issue as a personnel matter and denied claims of targeting individuals based on political beliefs.</p><p>Wiesenfeld alleged that Maswoswe instructed him to target "Trump himself, Truth Social, Hewlett Packard (DOJ approved merger)… without having a credible reason for targeting [these] organizations and individuals," as reported by the Times Union.</p><p>Maswoswe previously served as a trial attorney in the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section from January 2016 until her termination in December 2017, during Trump's first term. In February 2021, she filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Justice Department, claiming unfair termination and discrimination based on race, pregnancy, and caregiving responsibilities.</p><p>Wiesenfeld reportedly sent an agency-wide email to colleagues on a Friday, instructing them to "find and pursue crimes committed by specific individuals and organizations affiliated with Donald Trump," according to the Times Union.</p><p>Following this, the email was allegedly deleted, and a subsequent email from James' general counsel, Kumiki Gibson, informed employees that it was an "internal" matter and that no employees were "in danger," as reported by the Times Union.</p><p>A spokesperson for the Office of the New York Attorney General stated, "This is a personnel matter. The Office of the Attorney General is committed to upholding New York’s laws and protecting the rights and freedoms of all New Yorkers, regardless of political beliefs. We strongly reject any assertion to the contrary," according to Fox News Digital.</p><p>The New York Post reported that Wiesenfeld has been placed on paid administrative leave.</p><p>White House spokesperson Lauren Bis commented, "This is more proof of the weaponization of the justice system by Letitia James to target President Trump and her political opponents. The far-left Democrats' lawfare against President Trump, his family, and allies must stop," as reported by Fox News Digital.</p><p>Before joining James’ office in February 2022, Maswoswe had filed a discrimination suit against the DOJ.</p><p>She alleged in her complaint that she was unfairly terminated during the Trump administration in 2017 and discriminated against due to her race and motherhood.</p><p>Maswoswe accused the DOJ of race discrimination based on her Zimbabwean descent and claimed scrutiny regarding her pregnancy, breastfeeding, and caregiving responsibilities, seeking reinstatement, back pay, and damages, according to court documents.</p><p>In 2023, the two parties reached a settlement, awarding Maswoswe $795,000 to resolve all claims related to her employment and lawsuit.</p><p>The DOJ denied the validity of Maswoswe’s claims, stating that the agreement was a compromise of disputed claims and not an admission of discrimination or retaliation.</p><p>James has been a longstanding critic and legal opponent of Trump, having launched a civil fraud lawsuit against him and the Trump Organization in 2022 after campaigning on investigating his business practices.</p><p>The case initially resulted in over $450 million in penalties, although an appeals court later upheld Trump’s liability while voiding the financial penalty.</p>