Federal judge halts probe into NY AG Letitia James, citing unlawful prosecutor appointment

A federal judge has disqualified a key prosecutor from overseeing investigations into New York Attorney General Letitia James. 

U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield ruled Thursday that John Sarcone, the acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, was unlawfully appointed, violating federal statutes on prosecutorial tenure.

The decision stems from arguments that the Justice Department, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, circumvented rules after Sarcone’s initial 120-day interim term expired. 

District judges had refused to extend his appointment, prompting Bondi to reassign him as a “special attorney” and first assistant to maintain his authority – a maneuver the court deemed an illegal end-run around the law. 

As a result, subpoenas seeking details on James’ high-profile lawsuits against President Donald Trump’s business empire for fraud and against the National Rifle Association were invalidated, and Sarcone was barred from further involvement.

Sarcone, a former member of Trump’s 2016 campaign legal team and a regional administrator in the General Services Administration during Trump’s first term, has been accused by James’ camp of spearheading a politically motivated vendetta. 

James, a prominent Democrat who has relentlessly pursued Trump-related cases, denounced the investigations as “baseless” retaliation for her office’s actions against the ex-president’s interests. 

“This is an important win for the rule of law,” her office stated, vowing to fend off what they call the administration’s “political attacks.”

A Justice Department spokesperson said it will "continue to fight and defend the President and the Attorney General’s authority to appoint their US Attorneys.”