Office of the
Illinois Attorney General
Kwame Raoul
Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in condemning the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) abusive investigation of New York State Attorney General Letitia James as political retribution.
In an open letter, the coalition denounced what it calls a pattern of harassment and intimidation against Attorney General James, who pursued legal action against President Trump and his New York-based businesses in a New York state court.
“State attorneys general must be able to do their jobs and protect the public interest without fear of political retribution,” Raoul said. “Weaponizing the prosecutorial power of the government to obtain retribution, gain political advantage or obstruct the enforcement of state laws betrays the public’s trust and erodes confidence in the justice system. I am alarmed at the U.S. Department of Justice’s campaign of intimidation against Attorney General James, and I join my colleagues in strongly denouncing this abuse of power.”
The letter notes that the criminal investigation recently launched by the department against Attorney General James appears to be motivated by political and personal grudges, rather than any real suspicion of wrongdoing. It highlights recent actions by Edward R. Martin Jr., director of the DOJ’s Weaponization Working Group, who is leading the investigation. These actions include posing for photos outside of James’ home. The coalition writes that “Martin’s antics and actions amount more to those of a showman than to those of a representative of the United States government charged with ensuring that impartiality, integrity, and fairness are the cornerstones of criminal investigation and enforcement.”
Raoul and the attorneys general call on the DOJ to cease its attacks on James and other political targets. They also urge others in power to stand up against such abuses.
Attorney General Raoul is joined in issuing the letter by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
