Letitia James pleads not guilty in mortgage fraud case

Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, has pleaded not guilty in a mortgage fraud case. The case involves allegations of a scheme to defraud lenders by using false information to obtain mortgages. In a statement outside the court, James accused former President Donald Trump of using the Department of Justice as a "vehicle of retribution" against her. She claimed that the charges were politically motivated and part of an ongoing effort to undermine her investigation into Trump's business practices. The charges against James stem from an alleged scheme that occurred before she became the Attorney General. Prosecutors allege that she and her co-defendants used false information to obtain mortgages, resulting in financial losses for the lenders. James has maintained her innocence and has vowed to continue her investigation into Trump's business dealings. The case has generated significant political tension and has raised concerns about the potential for abuse of power in the criminal justice system.