A federal judge in Virginia has turned down New York Attorney General Letitia James’ attempt to compel prosecutors to document their interactions with the media, dealing a setback in her defense against federal fraud charges.
James, who has made a name for herself pursuing high-profile lawfare cases including civil fraud actions against President Donald Trump and his family business, now finds herself on the other side of the courtroom. Federal authorities indicted her last month on charges stemming from a 2020 mortgage application for a property in Norfolk, Virginia. Prosecutors allege she committed bank fraud and made false statements to a financial institution to secure the loan on a three-bedroom home. The two-count indictment accuses her of misrepresenting facts to obtain favorable terms.
She entered a not guilty plea during her arraignment on October 24, 2025, in the Eastern District of Virginia. The case has drawn attention amid claims that it represents accountability for officials who have weaponized their offices against political opponents, with some observers noting the irony given James’ aggressive stance against Trump during his first term and campaign.
The latest development came when U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker, appointed by Joe Biden in 2022, rejected James’ request for a court order requiring the Department of Justice to maintain a log of all press communications. This motion followed revelations of exchanges between U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan and Lawfare reporter Anna Bower via the Signal app.
In one message, Halligan wrote to Bower: “Anna, Lindsey Halligan here. You are reporting things that are simply not true. Thought you should have a heads up.”
Judge Walker described the prosecutor’s chat as “unusual” but stopped short of deeming it improper.