"These charges are baseless, and the president's own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement after she was indicted on Thursday, NBC News reports. "The president's actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties." President Trump had pressured the Justice Department to charge James, who has taken him to court, pronouncing her guilty without presenting evidence, the New York Times reports, and his actions were pointed out by some politicians criticizing James' indictment. In New York, an evening gathering at which elected officials would "come together to condemn this political prosecution" was scheduled. On the other side, US Attorney Lindsey Halligan, Trump's newly promoted prosecutor, said in a statement that "no one is above the law." Other reaction includes:
- Sen. Chuck Schumer: "This is what tyranny looks like," the Democrat said, adding, "This isn't justice. It's revenge. And it should horrify every American who believes no one is above the law."
- Sen. Thom Tillis: "Whatever threshold gets set here is the new floor for future prosecutions when roles are reversed," the Republican told a CNN reporter. "That's just the way this town works."
- Abbe Lowell: "When a President can publicly direct charges to be filed against someone — when it was reported that career attorneys concluded none were warranted—it marks a serious attack on the rule of law," said James' attorney, per NBC News.
- Sen. James Lankford: "The president can't make a grand jury do anything," the Republican said.
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul: Americans are witnessing "nothing less than the weaponization of the Justice Department to punish those who hold the powerful accountable," the Democrat said.
- Ed Martin: "Promises made, Promises kept," Trump's Justice Department weaponization chief posted, per CNN.
- Zohran Mamdani: "New Yorkers know Attorney General James for who she is, a champion for justice who fights relentlessly for the people," said the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, adding, "Donald Trump knows her only as an obstacle to his corruption."
- Sen. Adam Schiff: "Nixon had his enemies list. We had nothing like the kind of brutal, antidemocratic, corrupt abuse of the department that we see under Donald Trump," the Democrat said.
- The Rev. Al Sharpton: "This isn't the delivery of justice. It is the latest stop on Donald Trump's political retribution tour," the James ally said.
- Rep. Elise Stefanik: "No one is above the law and that includes New York's criminal and failed attorney general Tish James—the most corrupt AG in the nation," the New York Republican said, per the Times.
- Crystal Hudson: "When you come for Tish James, you come for all of us," the Democratic New York city council member said.
James is due in court on Oct. 24.
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