Letitia James

Donald Trump Jr. shared his father's criminal denials on Twitter, which has banned the twice-impeached one-term president over his election lies that led to the Jan. 6 insurrection.

New York attorney general Letitia James' office announced its investigation of Trump Organization was now criminal, as well as civil, and the former president lashed out in a lengthy statement from the blog in social media exile, which his namesake son tweeted out.

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough has grown impatient, to put it mildly, with leaks from investigators promising comeuppance for one character or another -- but he said the New York attorney general's revelations about the Trump Organization are something different.

New York attorney general Letitia James' office announced the investigation of Donald Trump's family business now had a criminal component, in addition to an ongoing civil investigation, and the "Morning Joe" host explained why this felt different.

Speaking to MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell on Tuesday, former senior prosecutor for Robert Mueller, Andrew Weissmann, explained that the Martin Act is typically used in the New York AG's office to investigate commodities fraud, but also extends to real estate fraud.

"It also has a provision that covers fraud or deceit in the sales of real estate in New York state," Weissmann explained. "Where we don't know what's being looked at. If you narrow it down to what is the attorney general has criminal jurisdiction over is the Martin Act. If you look at the provision of the Martin Act, it is security and commodities and real estate. So, if you connect the dots, that's what the New York attorney general has now in her sight in connection with the Trump investigation."

Legal experts and politicos flocked to Twitter upon the news that the New York attorney general is joining the criminal complaint against former President Donald Trump's New York company.

In a statement from Attorney General Letitia James' spokesperson, it was revealed that the Trump Organization was informed that they're now part of a New York criminal probe along with the financial probe from the district attorney.

CNN's Chris Cuomo reported Tuesday evening that New York Attorney General Letitia James will join the Manhattan District Attorney's investigation into the Trump Organization.

The news came from the AG's office noting that D.A. Cyrus Vance Jr.'s investigation into the Trump business

In a blunt opinion piece from the Washington Post editorial board, the National Rifle Association was scorched for decades of corruption and self-dealing, saying that gun advocacy group is finally facing a "reckoning."

With a federal judge tossing out the NRA's bankruptcy case after "finding that the nation's largest gun rights groups had filed the case not for legitimate financial reasons but to gain an unfair litigation advantage," the Post's editors applauded the move.

The NRA lost in court today after attempting to file bankruptcy to escape fraud lawsuits in New York. Attorney General Letitia James tweeted that the "NRA doesn't get to dictate if and where it will answer for its actions...No one is above the law."

"The Court agrees with the NYAG that the NRA is using this bankruptcy case to address a regulatory enforcement problem, not a financial one," the judge announced in court Tuesday.

The National Rifle Association filed for bankruptcy in an attempt to reincorporate in the more gun-friendly state of Texas in an effort to avoid the Attorney General of New York's oversight and investigation but on Tuesday a federal judge handed the gun lobbying group a major defeat.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Harlin Hale ruled the NRA may not move to Texas and will remain incorporated in the state of New York, Reuters reports, and will remain subject to NY Attorney General Letitia James' review. James is suing the NRA and seeking a court dismantle the gun group over its alleged corruption.

Blundering right-wing provocateurs Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman — who became briefly notorious for their clumsy attempts to smear prominent Democrats with phony sex scandals — have somehow found a way to land themselves in even deeper legal hot water. On Thursday, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that her office had filed a motion to join a federal lawsuit stemming from Wohl and Burkman's racist robocall scheme targeting Black voters in urban areas ahead of the 2020 election.

This article was originally published at Salon

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that the state will have a civil action against far-right activists Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman.

According to the statement from the AG's office, the two men, known for being "dirty tricksters," are accused of using lie-filled robocalls to suppress turnout among Black voters.

On Monday, The New York Times reported that, in a highly rare move, a Biden administration DOJ official is recommending the government cancel the National Rifle Association's bankruptcy proceedings, asserting that they are just a smokescreen to avoid legal challenges from the state of New York.

"Lisa L. Lambert, a lawyer in the United States Trustee's office, which is part of the Justice Department, said the 'evidentiary record clearly and convincingly establishes' that Wayne LaPierre, the longtime N.R.A. chief executive, 'has failed to provide the proper oversight.' For a number of years, she added, 'the record is unrefuted that Wayne LaPierre's personal expenses were made to look like business expenses,'" reported Danny Hakim. "Mr. LaPierre and the N.R.A. had filed for bankruptcy not because of any financial distress, but as a strategy to avoid litigation in New York."

On Tuesday, The Daily Beast reported that former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who resigned in disgrace amid allegations he physically assaulted multiple women, has had his license to practice law suspended for a year.

"A state appeals court said that Schneiderman stipulated to slapping and choking three of his lovers, but it also noted his apologies and the counseling he has received," reported Tracy Connor. "'Respondent's admitted misconduct involves verbal and emotional abuse, and unwanted physical contact with three women. However, respondent does not have any criminal or disciplinary history, he has a significant record of public service, and he has taken steps to address his alcohol abuse and past abusive behavior via his participation in AA and therapy,' the court wrote."