The prosecution was brought by U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, whom Trump appointed. Halligan filed the case just weeks after Trump publicly called for criminal charges against several of his political opponents, despite reported objections from some career prosecutors within her office.
But there has been no evidence presented by James’ defense team to prove she’s been maliciously prosecuted for being a political opponent of the president.
She initially won a massive $454 million fine from him in the civil case but a court later found that wildly excessive and dramatically lowered it. And she is currently leading several lawsuits against the Trump administration.
“Federal courts must not allow defendants to escape a facially valid indictment supported by evidence because of public disputes between elected officials,” prosecutors wrote in Friday’s court filing.
Responding to claims that the case is a vindictive prosecution, federal prosecutors acknowledged that Trump’s public comments about James — including remarks that “she’s very guilty” — have fluctuated from “disdain to deference.”
However, they argued that the decision to pursue an indictment was made solely by Halligan, ABC News reported. Continue reading…
