New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined a group of 21 attorneys general in condemning what they describe as an abusive investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice into New York State Attorney General Letitia James. The coalition argues that the federal probe is politically motivated and intended as retribution.
“Attorney General James is a dedicated public servant who has always acted in the best interests of the residents of New York,” said Attorney General Platkin. “The Trump Administration, however, has targeted her in a massive abuse of government power. This retribution campaign weaponizes the Justice Department to do President Trump’s bidding and settle personal vendettas. It’s hard to imagine a more disturbing perversion of justice or a more serious threat to the rule of law. I stand with my friend and colleague Tish James against these authoritarian attacks.”
In an open letter released by the coalition, the attorneys general express concern about what they call ongoing harassment and intimidation directed at Attorney General James. The letter states, “As lawyers, public servants, and defenders of the rule of law, we are deeply alarmed by the efforts of the U.S. Department of Justice to engage the machinery of criminal law enforcement in a campaign of intimidation against New York Attorney General Letitia James.”
The letter also questions whether there is any real suspicion behind the criminal investigation launched by federal authorities against James, suggesting it stems from political or personal grievances rather than evidence-based concerns. It singles out Edward R. Martin Jr., director of the Department’s “Weaponization Working Group,” for his conduct during this process: “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.”
The coalition concludes its statement by emphasizing their role as chief legal officers: “As the attorneys general and chief legal officers of our respective states, we know that the people rely on prosecutorial authorities to wield the power of government to protect the public interest, without fear or favor. Deploying the power of the government in pursuit of personal vendettas, to achieve political ends, or to thwart the enforcement of state law is an abuse of that trust. We call on the Department of Justice to cease its attacks on AG James and other political targets. And we call on others in power to stand up against the Department’s abuses. The wheels of justice must never become a tool of political and personal retribution.”
Attorney General Platkin joins counterparts from Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
