New York state taxpayers could be on the hook for New York Attorney General Letitia James’s legal defense if the investigation against her leads to criminal charges, according to a new report.
The Albany Times-Union reported that the FBI office in Albany is leading an investigation into real estate and mortgage activities that included James claiming a Virginia home would be her primary residence while she was serving as New York’s attorney general.
Word of the investigation came shortly after leaks revealed that the state budget being approved by the Democrat-dominated state Legislature includes a $10 million legal defense fund for state officials who face charges from the Trump administration, according to the New York Post.
The bill is not specific to James. It covers state officials who “obtained representation by private counsel in response to any request, summons, command, subpoena, warrant, investigative interview or document request, audit or legally compulsive process” started by the Trump administration as a result of their work for the state.