Lawsuit Filed against Trump: This Is Far from Over

Donald Trump and his supporters are convinced that Letitia James’ investigations into the former president also reflect political intrigue.

Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James announced “big news” on Wednesday and did not disappoint. She presented the results of a years-long investigation and charged former President Donald Trump and his real estate empire with felony fraud relating to previous business conduct. In a detailed report, James listed more than 200 cases where the value of Trump’s real estate appears to have been falsely reported in order to pay lower taxes or more easily secure loans. Trump responded as he always does when faced with accusations: He yelled about a Democratic witch hunt aimed at him and the Republicans in the run-up to the midterm elections in November.

This is a familiar response that demonstrates one thing: the particularly blurry distinction between the judiciary and politics in the U.S. State prosecutors and judges are elected and belong to a political party. That damages the credibility of the office, particularly in times of extreme political polarization. James is also running for reelection in November. Trump and his supporters are convinced that her investigations into the former president are being conducted for political purposes.

Anyone who is rubbing their hands together because of the lawsuit against Trump should bear in mind that even if his candidacy for reelection in 2024 is anything but certain, Trump will continue to disrupt the political discourse in the U.S. for some time to come.