New York Attorney General Letitia James on Trump’s Disastrous Start

0:00Concerned about even potential market manipulation? Is that something that you're concerned about or looking at? We do police Wall Street. And all that I can say is that we've been looking at a lot of this conduct at this point in time to determine whether or not it's actionable. I'm joined by New York Attorney General Letitia James. I got to ask you, what is your grade for Donald Trump's first 100 days in office? Oh, Ben, that's not fair. Come on. Um, listen, it's, um, well, I have to give him an A for, uh, coming in and renovating Penn Station. Um, that, that, that, that's, that's a good thing.

0:47And so I wish he would do more of that. And then he and I would be of, you know, on common ground. Um, so yeah. More, more renovating, less violating due process. Definitely, definitely. Now, I'm not sure about renaming it after him, but certainly renovating it is a great idea to save money for taxpayers in the great state of New York. But at the same time, one, he should understand and someone, this is a teaching moment. And so I want to teach him about due process, which is in our constitution, the federal constitution and the state constitution. And it entitles individuals to hearings before, in fact, they are convicted of any crimes, including but not limited to individuals who are about to be deported.

1:42They are entitled to a hearing before an administrative judge or a judge of due course. So it's important, President Trump, that you understand and recognize that because we realize that obviously you want to follow the law, but you have to exercise due process. Tell us about the work by the attorney general's office over the past 100 days. A lot of lawsuits and a lot of great work. We've been busy. You know, this is not the outcome that we wanted. This is but this is the outcome that's before us. And so prior to Election Day, we decided to get ready. And so a number of Democratic attorneys general, we analyzed Project 2025 because that is his playbook, their playbook.

2:34We analyzed jurisdiction and venue and standing and causes of actions and claims and defenses and our Constitution. And so on day one, the first EO regarding birthright citizenship, which, as you know, is in the 14th Amendment, within 48 hours, we responded. And we've responded ever since. As of right now, I have been involved in 15 lawsuits. We've led quite a few. We've also issued amicus briefs, amici briefs. We've also issued guidance letters. We've done a number of Know Your Rights training courses and classes. And we've responded to the fears and to the needs of New Yorkers, obviously, who are just concerned about all the chaos and confusion that they are witnessing, not only in New York, but across the state.

3:34Part of that chaos and confusion also is, you know, New York, a vibrant immigrant community. A lot of people have temporary protected status. You know, they came here, they did it the right way. They were here lawfully. And they didn't think, though, even though Trump was saying a lot of stuff during the campaign, that he was going to go after people on TPS. And he's going after lots of immigrant communities, including immigrant communities who supported him. So what are you doing on that front? So he's going after Haitians and Venezuelans, individuals who fled violence, individuals who were victims of political prosecution, individuals who were just concerned about their own personal safety.

4:19And so they came to this country seeking temporary protective status. And now that program, the President of the United States seeks to eliminate it, notwithstanding the fact that in Haiti, they are still in the midst of a civil war. and countless number of individuals, unfortunately, are being subjected to violence. There are individuals, members of the LGBTQ community, Venezuelans and Haitians, who are fleeing the country because they are being persecuted. There are individuals who have come to this country, obviously, fleeing violence, looking for a better opportunity and just want to be a part of the fabric of our country and want to contribute so much to our country.

5:03But unfortunately, right now, they're not going to school. They're not going to work. They're not going to our courthouses. Individuals who have witnessed crimes, individuals who are victims of domestic violence are not going to our courts to get orders of protection because they are fearful. fearful that they will be deported to a country, that they do not know a country, which unfortunately individuals that are in the midst of violence and disarray and there's no infrastructure whatsoever. And so it's really critically important that we put in place TPS. Yes, there are individuals who are fleeing gangs, who do not want to be a part of gangs, and who need the protection of these United States because what they want to do is just contribute to the fabric of this country, contribute to the economy, work each and every day, go to church each and every day, want the same thing that you and I want.

6:00And that is to live in a community where they can uphold the law and respect all of the laws of this great country and our respective state. You know, we heard last week how Trump's FBI arrested a sitting Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge, a state court judge, inside of her courthouse as she was administering the law in her daily docket. They made a bunch of accusations against her. The very idea of running sting operations inside state courtrooms when people are showing up as part of the docket and a judge is assessing, you know, individuals showing up, you know, and they may be migrants. I think you mentioned there too, that, that, that also has a, one, I want to get your thoughts on it, but two, doesn't that also have a chilling effect on people then not showing up to the courthouses to begin with in the first place and the exact opposite result of what Trump says he wants to happen happening anyway.

7:06Yeah, it has a chilling effect on immigrants, again, who were witnesses to violent crimes, not only here in New York, but all across this country. It's also important to understand that if, in fact, they had an issue with how the judge handled the matter, they should have brought it up before the judicial committee that oversees the behavior, of judges. There's a disciplinary committee that's responsible for judges. That's where it should have been handled as opposed to arresting a judge who was basically engaging in administering her courtroom and making sure that there was no chaos and confusion in her courtroom.

7:45It's also important to note that as we see the facts that the ICE agents had an administrative warrant as opposed to a judicial warrant. And so this administrative warrant, you know, did not have the force of an arrest. I believe they were just there to question the individual, perhaps take him into custody at some point in time. But there was no requirement that the judge immediately hand over that individual. And so to avoid chaos in her courtroom, you know, She allowed the individual to exit a side door where the ICE agents were, did affect an arrest of the individual. But again, if they had a problem with how the judge handled it, they should have filed a complaint with the appropriate authorities as opposed to arresting a judge who has consistently and repeatedly followed the law.

8:40I often note the parallels between Donald Trump's business fraud when he was not in office and kind of what we're seeing now in office. I often refer to this presidency sometimes as a rug pull presidency, as a Ponzi scheme presidency, kind of mounting a lie on top of a lie until it all kind of explodes. You successfully prosecuted in a civil case, Donald Trump for business fraud, a verdict of about$444 million, but who's counting? You see Donald Trump, though, doing some of the same stuff. Like I saw him holding this gold, this Trump gold card. I'm going to make you rich. If we just sell this gold card, everything's going to be, I'm going to eliminate taxes for everyone.

9:26Don't you worry. Let me just show you this clip of this gold card thing that they want to sell to, I guess, he said he wanted to sell to oligarchs. Just take a look. I haven't seen you in a while. What is he saying? Five million. For five million dollars, this could be yours. That was the first of the cards. You know what that card is? Gold card. It's the gold card. The Trump card and gold card. Who's the first buyer? Your case was about, you know, valuations and his value, you know, making up valuations. And it just seems that the way he deals with numbers, 200 negotiations, I've done 200 deals, I've done this, I've done that, I've done that.

10:09And it's just not tethered to reality. You have an intimate knowledge. Yeah, we secured a$454 million judgment against Donald Trump et al. and is based on his exaggerated, overinflated assets for the purposes of securing favorable insurance and mortgage terms. And what we are witnessing in the White House is more grift. And it's unfortunate. And right now, you know, federal agencies that once had jurisdiction to investigate these types of offenses, those agencies right now have been hollowed out. One of the cases that we have brought is against the federal government for terminating thousands and thousands of probationary workers.

11:06You also know that this administration has often offered buyouts to federal employees. So a number of these agencies are no longer following the mission of their agency, and a number of these agencies have basically been hollowed out. And it's unfortunate that the president of the United States is using the White House to basically enrich himself and others. Lots of people are concerned about even potential market manipulation and whether these statements create artificial spikes and then decreases in the market. Is that something that you're concerned about or looking at? I'm not sure what you can share or can't share, but is that something that concerns you?

11:48So, you know, obviously, you know, the Office of the Attorney General has jurisdiction over the Martin Act, and we have jurisdiction over these pump and dump schemes, which happen frequently. And we do police Wall Street. And all that I can say is that we've been looking at a lot of this conduct at this point in time to determine whether or not it's actionable. You know, there's a lot of, I would say more than a lot, not a day goes by where Trump or someone in his administration doesn't attack you. It's every single day. I mean, how do you deal with that noise and, you know, and do you just tune it out?

12:31I'm just curious because literally it's every single day. It's every single day. Listen, I'm on, he indicated that I was on his enemy's list with others. And so, you know, all of these baseless allegations that have been refuted, it's nothing more than retribution. It's nothing more than the weaponization of the federal government. And we just continue to stay focused here in the New York State Office of the Attorney General, focused on our mission to enforce the law. The vast majority of my time here in this office is spent on consumer fraud, on landlord-tenant, on protecting tenants, protecting seniors, protecting children, passing legislation, protecting individuals from fraud on Wall Street, looking at monopolies and looking at scams and data breaches.

13:30the vast majority of my time is focused again are enforcing the laws in the state of New York and it's true that most recently we've had to make sure that due process is followed and the laws in our constitution and the state constitution are enforced here as a result of all of these executive orders that have been issued by this administration which do not have the force of law, executive orders, which basically violate separation of power and violate Congress's power of the purse, and also violate Article 10 of the United States Constitution against anti-commandeering, basically directing New York State and other states to follow suit and to be in compliance with the federal government and their wishes.

14:24And we've been standing up saying that we are a sovereign state and we're going to enforce the law and we're going to protect marginalized and vulnerable populations and to let individuals know that his executive orders are oftentimes illegal. They're arbitrary. They're capricious. They constitute overreach. And they're seeking basically to concentrate the power of the executive in the hands of one very, very, very dangerous man. So finally, here we are 100 days in. Just want to let you just deliver your message to the people of the state of New York who are watching this and Americans in general who also just admire the fact that you're not afraid to fight and stand up for due process in the Constitution.

15:07Yeah. So, you know, I can't be paralyzed by fear. I've got a job to do. I took an oath to the Constitution and to the rule of law. I made a commitment to New Yorkers that I would follow the law, and I do that each and every day. And I walk into this great office of the attorney general, of the New York State Attorney General's office, which is staffed by hundreds of attorneys who are dedicated basically to the rule of law. And all that we do is respond to executive orders which are unlawful, unconstitutional, which do not have the force of law. And, you know, and we would urge the president of these United States to work with Congress to ensure that the law is followed.

15:54We've taken action with respect to the dismantling of the Department of Education. We've taken action with regards to tariffs. We've taken action against immigrants. We've taken action in regards to standing up for the LGBTQ community and individuals who require gender affirming care. We've taken action to protect your private information in the hands of Doge and Elon Musk, an unelected individual who has had access to your sensitive and private information. We've stood up and ensured that the Office of Management and Budget has not unfrozen funds, funds that focus on our health care and on child care, on essential services, protecting our veterans, protecting the 9-11 health fund, protecting Head Start.

16:40And the list goes on and on and on, protecting seniors against the closing of Social Security offices and making sure that offices are fully staffed so that they could provide and address and respond to the needs of New Yorkers and Americans. Government is not the demon. Government is there to serve the public. And it's really critically important that, unfortunately, this administration, the federal administration, has turned government on its head and made it an enemy of the state. It is not. I entered into public service because I recognize the powers of government and that government should be there and it is and has always been a force for good.

17:24And for those reasons, I am defending the United States government, defending them against these illegal and unlawful acts by this president. New York Attorney General Letitia James, we're 100 days into the Trump administration. We appreciate you fighting back for the people. Thank you. And congratulations on your, you've got the, listen, the Webby Award. Absolutely amazing. Podcaster of the Year. Go, Ben. Yay! There you have it. New York Attorney General Letitia James, we appreciate you. Everybody hit subscribe. Let's get to 5 million subscribers. Can't get enough Midas? Check out the Midas Plus sub stack for ad-free articles, reports, podcasts, daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski and more.

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