Letitia James Accused of 'Threatening' Former NY Prosecutor Who Refuses to Destroy Alleged Evidence of Anti-Trump Corruption
New York Attorney General Letitia James is accused of threatening a former Assistant Attorney General.
Oct. 6 2026, Updated 3:52 p.m. ET
Former Assistant Attorney General Daniel Wiesenfeld is accusing New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office of threatening him, RadarOnline has learned.
Wiesenfeld claimed that after he refused to return or destroy what he described as “confidential and privileged” materials that he says contain evidence of political corruption and improper targeting of President Donald Trump, he was fired.
Threating Emails & Letters
The assistant attorney general would not return the materials James said were sensitive.
Wiesenfeld emailed James on October 5, saying he would not return the materials.
The message, which was also sent to the attorney general’s general counsel, Kumiki Gibson, included a photo of a business card belonging to a detective with the office’s Executive Protection Detail.
Wiesenfeld said the card had been left wedged in his front door.
The email followed letters from James’ office warning Wiesenfeld that he could face professional discipline and possible civil or criminal action if he did not destroy the materials, according to Wiesenfeld’s account and reporting by The Times Union.
“I am in receipt of your September 18th letter threatening me with 'professional discipline, as well as civil and/or criminal action' and your subsequent September 30th letter providing a deadline by 5pm today for me to confirm my destruction of your 'confidential and/or privileged information'. You have also commissioned your 'protection detail' detectives to repeatedly hound me by banging on my front door. Attached is the business card one of them left in my door after their latest intrusion,” Wiesenfeld wrote.
“I understand you are fearful of what I might do with what you refer to as your 'confidential and privileged' materials, ahead of an important election. These documents are simply evidence and your threats will not compel me to destroy such evidence. If anything, carrying out your threats by bringing this to a legal forum will make this information public,” he added.
Earlier Accusations of Improper Targeting
The materials allegedly prove James is continuing to pursue investigations into President Donald Trump,
Wiesenfeld’s latest email came about two months after he sent an agencywide message accusing his supervisor, Investor Protection Bureau chief Shamiso Maswoswe, of directing him to pursue Trump and his affiliates.
He alleged that he had been instructed to target “Trump himself, Truth Social, Hewlett Packard (DOJ-approved merger) … without having a credible reason for targeting this (sic) organizations and individuals.”
The Aug. 28 email was reportedly deleted from the attorney general’s servers and disappeared from the inboxes of more than 2,000 employees.
A follow-up email from Gibson said the matter was “internal” and said no one in the office was “in danger.”
“As I wrote in my August 28th email to your entire Office, you have initiated several meritless investigations into Trump and his affiliates, without a credible reason,” Wiesenfeld wrote. “More damning, you’ve insisted on proceeding with such investigations after it became apparent there was no viable cause of action. Shamiso Maswoswe explicitly related this to us in one such case. There are far more fruitful areas for your law enforcement agenda that will achieve an actual return on New Yorkers’ significant tax investments in your Office.”
“If you believe Trump is using (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. I ask that you not serve as Tish’s personal attorneys by targeting her political enemies. Instead, I hope you choose to prosecute crimes and find the individuals accountable, rather than targeting individuals and then finding crimes,” Wiesenfeld said at the time.
Termination & Official Response
Letitia James' office denied Wiesenfeld's allegations.
Wiesenfeld was subsequently placed on administrative leave and terminated on Sept. 5.
However, James’ office disputed Wiesenfeld’s allegations.
Spokesperson Alexis Richards said the office “is duty bound to take disciplinary action when one of its attorneys violates the law, the New York Rules of Professional Conduct, or agency policy.”
“Mr. Wiesenfeld was terminated for cause after it was determined that he committed such violations,” Richards continued. “We remain committed to enforcing New York’s laws and defending the rights of all New Yorkers. Any suggestion otherwise is disingenuous.”
The attorney general’s office said it investigated Wiesenfeld’s Aug. 28 allegations but found they were not substantiated.
The office also said Wiesenfeld declined to participate in the investigation.
Richards called the matter a personnel issue in August.
“This is a personnel matter, and the employee in question has been placed on administrative leave with full pay. 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.”
Political Context
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Trump has repeatedly accused Letitia James of using her office to target him.
Wiesenfeld believes James is concerned about what he might do with the materials ahead of the 2026 election, in which she is a candidate, The New York Post reported.
He has said he will not be intimidated into destroying what he considers evidence.
The standoff comes against the backdrop of a long-running political conflict between James and Trump. During her 2018 campaign, James pledged to investigate Trump’s business dealings.
Her office later brought a civil fraud case against Trump, his two eldest sons and a former Trump Organization executive, resulting in a judgment of more than $360 million.
A New York appellate court later upheld the liability finding while overturning the financial penalties.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department under the Trump administration pursued criminal investigations involving James.
Trump has repeatedly accused James of using her office to pursue him and his political interests during and after his first term.
