Battle of the Blondes: Attorney General Pam Bondi 'Caught Off Guard' When President Donald Trump's Handpicked Attorney Secured Letitia James' Indictment
Attorney General Pam Bondi was surprised by an indictment move against NY AG Letitia James.
Oct. 12 2025, Published 12:45 p.m. ET
Attorney General Pam Bondi and top Justice Department leaders were reportedly blindsided when Lindsey Halligan, the Trump-appointed U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, presented a case to a grand jury seeking to indict New York Attorney General Letitia James, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Indictment
Lindsey Halligan presented the case to a grand jury without notifying DOJ leadership.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and other senior officials at the DOJ had expected Halligan might proceed with the indictment, despite prosecutors in her office recommending against it after months of investigation into allegations that James committed mortgage fraud. However, they were unaware Halligan had already brought the case before the grand jury until after it occurred, sources said.
A department spokesperson revealed: "The Justice Department is united as one team in our mission to make America safe again and as stated previously Lindsey Halligan is fully supported by the AG, DAG, and the entire team at Main Justice."
Bondi Shocked
DOJ spokesperson said Halligan has full support from Bondi and senior leadership.
While Bondi and her leadership team were surprised, the move was not unexpected for Ed Martin, a Trump ally who was appointed to several DOJ leadership roles after his failed bid to become U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. Martin, known by his self-styled nickname "Eagle Ed", posted an image of an eagle flying over the Brooklyn Bridge on X Thursday, October 9. He reposted it later that evening after news of James' indictment broke.
Martin and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte — who initially referred James' mortgage applications for criminal review — have clashed with DOJ leadership in recent weeks. Both men have reportedly pushed for more aggressive prosecution of political opponents of President Donald Trump.
Trump to Bondi: 'Get Things Moving'
Trump previously urged Bondi to 'get things moving' on prosecutions.
Trump himself publicly urged Bondi last month on Truth Social to take action, saying he was appointing Halligan to "get things moving" and demanding prosecutions of his political enemies "now".
A former senior DOJ official claimed it was "extraordinary" for department leadership to be unaware of an impending indictment involving a major political figure. Such cases are typically handled by the DOJ's Public Integrity Section, which has been dramatically downsized from about 30 attorneys to just two since Trump took office, sources said.
Despite being caught off guard, Bondi publicly praised the indictment hours later, posting on X: "One tier of justice for all Americans."
James Denies Wrongdoing
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Trump ally Ed Martin appeared aware of the indictment beforehand.
If found guilty, James could face up to 30 years in prison per count, along with a $1million fine on each count and lose ownership of the properties cited in the indictment.
James has denied any wrongdoing and has called the DOJ's indictment "a continuation of the President's desperate weaponization of our justice system."
