New York Attorney General Letitia James is taking a fight to the courts in an effort to block federal prosecutors from investigating her, claiming that the appointments are illegitimate.
James has filed a motion with US District Judge Lorna Schofield to quash two subpoenas issued by Acting US Attorney John Sarcone, who was appointed by former US Attorney General Pam Bondi as a "special attorney" in Albany after his initial appointment term expired. The motion argues that Sarcone's appointment is a circumvention of Congress's scheme to ensure the proper appointment and confirmation process for US attorneys.
James' team alleges that Sarcone exercised power he did not lawfully possess by signing the subpoenas, which they claim are oppressive and unreasonable. They have sought to invalidate Sarcone's appointment and his role in the investigation into James.
The hearing on Wednesday was packed with attendees from various sides of the case, including members of the US Attorney's office, local FBI agents, and public defenders. Sarcone was not present and referred a request for comment to the Department of Justice, which did not immediately respond.
Assistant US Attorney Richard Belliss argued that Judge Schofield should only consider the two subpoenas at hand and not make a broader ruling on Sarcone's appointment. He described such an action as "drastic and extreme."
During the hearing, Chen questioned whether Sarcone was properly designated as a special attorney since his initial appointment letter was signed by a human resources employee rather than Bondi herself. The judge did not provide any indication of when she might rule.
This is not James' first brush with controversy over her investigations, including those into former President Donald Trump and the National Rifle Association. Judges have already ruled that other Trump-appointed prosecutors were unlawfully appointed, casting doubt on their legitimacy as investigators.
James has filed a motion with US District Judge Lorna Schofield to quash two subpoenas issued by Acting US Attorney John Sarcone, who was appointed by former US Attorney General Pam Bondi as a "special attorney" in Albany after his initial appointment term expired. The motion argues that Sarcone's appointment is a circumvention of Congress's scheme to ensure the proper appointment and confirmation process for US attorneys.
James' team alleges that Sarcone exercised power he did not lawfully possess by signing the subpoenas, which they claim are oppressive and unreasonable. They have sought to invalidate Sarcone's appointment and his role in the investigation into James.
The hearing on Wednesday was packed with attendees from various sides of the case, including members of the US Attorney's office, local FBI agents, and public defenders. Sarcone was not present and referred a request for comment to the Department of Justice, which did not immediately respond.
Assistant US Attorney Richard Belliss argued that Judge Schofield should only consider the two subpoenas at hand and not make a broader ruling on Sarcone's appointment. He described such an action as "drastic and extreme."
During the hearing, Chen questioned whether Sarcone was properly designated as a special attorney since his initial appointment letter was signed by a human resources employee rather than Bondi herself. The judge did not provide any indication of when she might rule.
This is not James' first brush with controversy over her investigations, including those into former President Donald Trump and the National Rifle Association. Judges have already ruled that other Trump-appointed prosecutors were unlawfully appointed, casting doubt on their legitimacy as investigators.
she's basically tryna block an investigation... seems like she's gettin all her cards in a row 1st before the game even starts lol meanwhile Sarcone's just tryna do his job 
what's the real drama here?
I mean, can you imagine having to fight against a prosecution of your own making? Letitia James is really taking a stand here, and I gotta respect that 
. But, at the same time, it's like, if she thinks Sarcone's appointment was shady, shouldn't she just try to resolve it amicably instead of going all guns blazing? 
I mean, this whole thing is getting more and more complicated by the minute...
like they'd just be able to get away with this kinda thing? meanwhile we're over here dealing with investigations and whatnot... i feel for Letitia James, she's trying to do her job but it seems like the man is stacked against her 
. Will Sarcone's appointment hold up, or is James right that it was done improperly? It's anyone's guess at this point 
.
.
Can't believe Letitia James is throwing this tantrum in court! She thinks she's above the law just because she's the AG? Newsflash: everyone gets investigated and scrutinized when they're in power 
. And what's with all these subpoenas? Is James trying to hide something? 
.
. I don't think it's a good idea for anyone to investigate someone in power like AG James without a clear reason 
That sounds super fishy 
. What's the big deal about these appointments 
. And what's up with this 'special attorney' thing 
... is it just a fancy title or what? 
. And now she's trying to block an investigation of herself? 
.
her team says sarcone wasnt supposed 2 have that kind of power but i think its all good 
. congress did it's thang w/ his appointment so wat? 
. and now we got these new ppl tryna figure it out cuz the old ones werent doin it right 
. lets just hope they get 2 the bottom of it without makin it a whole lotta drama 
. Letitia James is playing it smart by taking the fight to court, but at the same time, she's also testing the waters and seeing how far she can push things. The fact that she's going after Acting US Attorney John Sarcone's appointment as "special attorney" in Albany raises some eyebrows 
. But seriously, if Sarcone was indeed appointed in a way that bypassed proper protocol, then he shouldn't be able to sign those subpoenas. The fact that he did it anyway is a red flag 
.