Letitia James.Photo: Dee Delgado/Getty
New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday announced she was suspending the campaign for governor she launched less than two months ago.
James announced her campaign for governor in late October, throwing her hat in the ring less than two months after an investigation she led into former Gov. Andrew Cuomo found that he had sexually harassed multiple women — prompting his resignation.
That campaign proved short-lived, however, when James announced on Thursday that she would opt instead to run for reelection as state attorney general, rather than for governor.
“I have come to the conclusion that I must continue my work as attorney general,” James said in a Tweet. “There are a number of important investigations and cases that are underway, and I intend to finish the job. I am running for re-election to complete the work New Yorkers elected me to do.”
The Washington Postand NBC News both reported that James has requested to take the former president’s testimony at her New York office on Jan. 7.
A statement sent to thePostfrom the Trump Organization accused the deposition request of being politically-motivated.
“This is another political witch-hunt,” the statement said, according to thePost. “The only focus of the New York AG is to investigate Trump, all for her own political ambitions … This political prosecution is illegal, unethical and is a travesty to our great state and legal system.”
In May, CNN reported that James had also joined the Manhattan district attorney’s office in itscriminal investigationof the former president’s business.
Th attorney general’s office will continue to pursue its civil investigation into the Trump Organization, but will also join the Manhattan district attorney’s office probe into whether the company misled lenders and insurance companies about the value of its properties and if it paid the appropriate amount in taxes.
While a civil case could result in a lawsuit or fines, a criminal investigation could result in criminal charges.
source: people.com
