Donald Trump has sued New York Attorney General, Letitia James, accusing her of conducting a “war of intimidation and harassment” against him.
It follows a lawsuit that Ms James launched against Mr Trump and three of his children last September, accusing them of fraud committed over a decade.
Mr Trump, a Republican, has long accused the Democrat of abusing her position for political gain.The former president has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
In the latest lawsuit – which was filed to the Florida State Circuit Court – Mr Trump accused Ms James of “a relentless, pernicious, public and unapologetic crusade” against him and the Trump Organisation.
He also alleged that the Attorney General’s own case against him was a “plot” to obtain control of his business that began as a “cartoonish, thinly-veiled effort to publicly malign” the former president.
On his Truth Social media account, he added that if he was “not leading in the polls by substantial margins against both Democrats and Republicans, this would not be happening”.
In a statement, a spokesman for Ms James’ office said that “no number of lawsuits will deter” New York’s case against Mr Trump.
“We sued Donald Trump because he committed extensive financial fraud,” the statement said. “That fact hasn’t changed, and neither will our resolve to ensure that no matter how powerful or political one might be, no one is above the law.”
MrTrump’s lawsuit is the latest twist in a long-running feud between Mr Trump and MsJames, who – on the night she was elected in 2018 – vowed to shine “a bright light” on his real estate dealings.
Mr Trump, for his part, has accused her of conducting a “witch hunt” and branded Ms James – the first black woman to be New York’s attorney general – a “racist”.
Even before she took office as New York’s Attorney General, Letitia James has had Donald Trump in her sights.
On the night she was elected in 2018, the former city councilwoman and public defender took aim at Mr Trump.
“He should know that we here in New York – and I, in particular – are not scared of you,” she warned. -BBC
