Key events
Letitia James criminally charged in Trump’s latest effort to punish rivals
Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. I’m Tom Ambrose and I’ll be bringing you the latest news lines over the next few hours.
We begin with the news that a federal grand jury has indicted Letitia James, the New York attorney general, for bank fraud, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Lindsey Halligan, the US attorney for the eastern district of Virginia, personally presented the case to the grand jury on Thursday, the person said. US attorneys do not typically present to a grand jury.
“This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system. He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York state attorney general,” James said in a recorded video statement on Thursday.
“These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost. The president’s actions are a grave violation of our constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties.”
Halligan was installed in the role last month after Donald Trump became frustrated with the pace of investigations against his rivals. “No one is above the law,” Halligan said in a statement.
“The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust. The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”
Read the full story here:
In other developments:
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A federal judge in Illinois issued a temporary restraining order blocking the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicagosaying in court that there was no evidence of a rebellion brewing in Illinois and that the Department of Homeland Security’s “narrative of events is simply unreliable.”
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In a similar case unfolding in federal court in San Francisco, challenging Trump’s deployment of troops to Portland, Oregonappellate judges heard arguments and seemed more likely to rule in Trump’s favor, allowing the deployment of troops.
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Nearly half of the FBI agents working in the US’s major field offices have been reassigned to aid immigration enforcementaccording to newly released data, a stunning shift in law enforcement priorities that has raised public safety concerns.
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US troops have been sent to Israel as part of the peace deal approved on Thursday to support and help monitor the ceasefire, according to multiple news reports.
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The US Senate remained deadlocked on legislation to end the government shutdown on Fridayas Donald Trump reiterated his threat to make Democrats pay for the funding lapse that has closed federal agencies and furloughed workers nationwide.
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The chances of the US stock market crashing is far greater than many financiers believe, the head of America’s largest bank has said.
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A Rutgers University professor who taught a course on anti-fascism was blocked from leaving the US for Spain, according to media reports.
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Meanwhile, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is slated to be announced today. Donald Trump wants to win the prize this year, but probably won’t.
