A federal judge in Manhattan rejected a request by New York Attorney General Letitia James’ team to make federal prosecutors keep a detailed log of every conversation they have with the media.
Judge Jamar Walker said the New York attorney general had not shown that such a record was necessary for the case. The move came after prosecutor Lindsey Halligan sent a burst of encrypted Signal messages to a reporter earlier this month, leading James’ lawyers—led by Abbe Lowell—to file the motion last week.
Walker’s ruling was clear: the court will not order the government to keep a communication log. He also reminded the parties that they must follow all court rules, and ordered that no documents or communications related to the investigation be deleted or destroyed.
The case centers on a 2020 loan Letitia James took on a house in Norfolk, Virginia. The loan, worth $109,600, involved a home‑rider that named James as the sole borrower who would occupy the property. Prosecutors argue the house never lived in by James. Instead, it was used as a rental for her grandniece, Nakia Thompson.
James is charged with one count of bank fraud and one count of making a false statement to a financial institution. If convicted, she could face up to 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $2 million.
The court declined to issue a gag order against James, and the judge left it to attorneys on both sides to comply without further instruction.
The judge’s decision means federal prosecutors must continue to cooperate with the court, but they will not be forced to maintain a separate log of all media interactions. This move could have implications for how news coverage and federal investigations intersect in high‑profile cases.
Source: New York Post
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