CNN's Anderson Cooper slams Letitia James' vow to sue Trump after her election: 'Not a great look'

WASHINGTON, DC: CNN’s Anderson Cooper weighed in on the political firestorm surrounding New York Attorney General Letitia James, saying it was "not a great look" for her to vow legal action against President Donald Trump immediately after her 2018 election.

James, a Democrat, made good on that promise by filing a high-profile lawsuit accusing Trump of inflating the value of his real estate empire, a case that initially led to a $355 million judgment, later overturned by a higher court. She is now in the midst of appealing that ruling.

Anderson Cooper takes aim at Letitia James

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper aimed at newly indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday, October 9, revisiting a controversial moment from her 2018 campaign.

While running for the state’s top law enforcement post, James was asked by a community activist whether she planned to sue President Donald Trump, who was in his first term.

Cooper recounted her response, “Oh, we’re going to definitely sue him. We’re going to be a real pain in the a**. He‘s going to know my name personally.”

The CNN host criticized the remark, saying, “I mean that’s not a great look for somebody who has just been elected, who just been campaigning, who hasn’t even looked, I guess deeply, at any evidence.”

CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin acknowledged that New York Attorney General Letitia James' 2018 comments about suing President Trump were "inappropriate," but emphasized that such remarks are part of the political reality in the US.

Speaking with Anderson Cooper, Toobin explained that, unlike many other countries, attorneys general and district attorneys in the US are elected officials, and as politicians, they often make campaign statements with political undertones. "That’s how our system works," he said. "It's not pretty. I don't think it's a great system, but there's nothing uncommon about it."

Toobin also argued that James' past remarks, while questionable, shouldn't justify her facing criminal charges years later. He stressed that any fraud indictment must be judged on its own legal merits, not political motivations.

Letitia James faces federal charges for bank fraud

Anderson Cooper’s remarks came amid a broader conversation about the recent indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James, who now faces federal charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution.

A federal grand jury handed down the indictment on Wednesday, October 8, and according to US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Lindsey Halligan, each count carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine, and possible asset forfeiture if convicted.

In response, James issued a strong statement, calling the charges a clear act of "political retribution" orchestrated by Trump.

She pointed to Trump's firing of a US Attorney who had declined to pursue charges against her, replacing them with someone she claims is "blindly loyal not to the law, but to the president." James urged leaders from both parties to condemn what she described as a blatant abuse of the justice system.

The indictment follows a Justice Department investigation launched earlier this year into alleged mortgage fraud involving James. That probe came shortly after she secured a civil judgment against Trump and the Trump Organization over fraudulent business practices.

However, in August, a New York appellate court overturned the $500 million penalty in that case, ruling it violated the Eighth Amendment’s protection against excessive fines.