New York Attorney General Letitia James faced a hostile crowd on Thursday when she addressed attendees at a ceremony for the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). The Democrat prosecutor was met with a chorus of boos as she made her way onto the stage for the swearing-in of first responders, including Rev. Pamela Holmes, the first African-American woman chaplain of the FDNY.
Despite the jeers, James attempted to calm the crowd by saying, "Oh, c'mon, we're in a house of God. Simmer down." However, her efforts were short-lived as the boos were soon replaced with chants of "Trump! Trump! Trump!" This outburst was a clear indication of the strong opposition many in the audience had towards James, who has been an outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump.
The tension between James and Trump has been long-standing, with the attorney general promising to go after him even before she was elected. Throughout her campaign, James referred to Trump as a "con man" and a "carnival barker," vowing to hold him accountable for his actions.
This animosity culminated in a civil business fraud suit filed by James' office against Trump. The suit alleged that he had engaged in fraudulent practices and sought to hold him and his associates accountable for their actions. Recently, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled in James' favor, ordering Trump to pay a staggering $454 million fine, including interest.
Letitia James gets booed by the FDNY and when she tells them to "simmer down," they start shouting "Trump! Trump! Trump!" 😂 pic.twitter.com/ECNGwOChoJ
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) March 7, 2024
While many saw this as a victory for James, others viewed it as a display of partisanship and bias on her part. In fact, the former president wasted no time in appealing the decision, citing "errors of law and/or fact" and accusing Engoron of abuse of discretion. The case is now set to be heard in the appeals court, with James' brief due on March 11 and Trump's reply due on March 18.
Despite the controversy surrounding the civil business fraud case, James remains undeterred in her pursuit of justice. She recently took to social media to flaunt the amount Trump and his associates owed after the judgment, posting "$464,576,230.62" on her page. Her action was seen by many as a thinly veiled taunt directed towards Trump, further fueling the already tense dynamic between the two.
FDNY Chief John Hodgens also weighed in on the matter, condemning the behavior of those in the audience who had disrupted James' speech. He stated, "Today's ceremony was about one thing: the accomplishments of the members being promoted. The members whose behavior distracted from that celebration were an embarrassment and not befitting of the world's best fire department."
Despite the backlash she faced at the FDNY ceremony, James remains steadfast in her role as New York's attorney general. She has vowed to continue fighting for justice and upholding the law, regardless of any opposition she may face. Ultimately, only time will tell how the ongoing legal battle between James and Trump will unfold, but one thing is certain: it has already left a lasting impact on the political landscape of New York.