A veteran prosecutor formerly in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office claims he was instructed to find and pursue alleged crimes committed by Donald Trump and his allies, according to a report. Daniel Wiesenfeld, who previously served as a Brooklyn prosecutor and is now with James’ Investor Protection Bureau, detailed the allegations in an email obtained by the Times-Union.
In the email, Wiesenfeld stated that Bureau Chief Shamiso Maswoswe specifically directed him to target Trump, Truth Social, and Hewlett Packard, asserting this was to be done “without having a credible reason for targeting the organizations and individuals.” The merger between Hewlett-Packard and Juniper Networks was recently approved by federal authorities and is valued at $14 billion.
Wiesenfeld reportedly drew a parallel between the alleged actions of James and former President Trump, writing, “If you believe Trump is using the [Department of Justice] attorneys to prosecute his enemies and further his political interests, you should find it equally troubling that Tish [James] is doing exactly the same thing.” He urged colleagues not to act as James’ personal attorneys by targeting her political adversaries, but instead to focus on prosecuting actual crimes. He also suggested that the office should prioritize investigations into “rampant nonprofit homeless shelter fraud and antisemitic crimes in and around synagogues,” and accused James of expending “significant public taxpayer dollars to target convenient public enemies.”
Trump and James have a history of animosity. During her 2018 campaign, James pledged to prosecute Trump for crimes committed in New York if elected. In 2024, James' office secured a $360 million civil judgment against Trump, his sons, and his former company for allegedly inflating property values and misrepresenting his wealth. This ruling was later upheld on appeal, though the financial penalty was modified.
Following the report, Wiesenfeld was placed on paid administrative leave. A representative for James told the Times-Union that the controversy is a “personal matter” and stated, “The office of the attorney general is committed to upholding New York’s laws and protecting the rights and freedoms of all New Yorkers, regardless of political beliefs. We strongly reject any assertion to the contrary.”
State Republican leaders criticized James based on the leaked email's claims. State Republican Chairman Ed Cox characterized James as having “weaponized the attorney general’s office into a political hit squad” and deemed her “utterly unfit to serve.” Cox added that New Yorkers expect their attorney general to prosecute criminals and enforce laws impartially.