Influential financial backers, including the well-known philanthropist George Soros and a host of other substantial contributors, have been instrumental in fostering the ascendancy of New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is currently embroiled in a high-profile legal challenge against ex-President Donald Trump. Scrutinized campaign finance documents reveal the extent of this support.
Attorney General James, aligned with the Democratic Party, launched a significant civil case against Trump the previous year, contending that the ex-president, along with his family business, engaged in deceptive practices that affected financial institutions and others due to misrepresented asset valuations. The lawsuit pointedly accuses Trump’s offspring — Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric — as well as close associates, of perpetrating “multiple instances of fraud and misrepresentation” in their financial disclosures.
The litigation, devoid of a jury, has found a central figure in New York City Judge Arthur Engoron, who bears the responsibility for the civil fraud proceedings initiated by James’ office. Trump has not only questioned the legitimacy of the lawsuit but also criticized the absence of a jury and Judge Engoron’s role in the case, going as far as to denounce Engoron as a partisan figure and deriding James as an “extreme-left attorney general.”
Digging into the state’s campaign finance records uncovers a network of left-leaning donors, among whom George Soros features prominently, having donated not less than $20,000 to James’ political campaign, with two separate contributions in 2021 and 2022. The 93-year-old billionaire’s financial investments aren’t limited to these contributions; his Open Society Foundations have significantly funded a range of progressive initiatives particularly targeting Trump’s policies.
Soros’ financial support extends through his family, with his son Jonathan Soros contributing at least $10,000 and his daughter-in-law, Jennifer Allan Soros, adding another $4,000 to James’ campaign chest over recent years.
Reid Hoffman, the billionaire co-founder of LinkedIn, also emerges as a key financier of the New York Attorney General, having donated a substantial $47,100 to her campaign in the last year. Hoffman has a controversial past, including reported connections to Jeffrey Epstein and an implication in a dubious social media operation during an Alabama Senate race.
Additionally, Karla Jurvetson, a prominent Californian doctor, has demonstrated her support through contributions exceeding $67,000 since 2019. Jurvetson, alongside Soros and Hoffman, is known for hefty financial outlays in political arenas, often opposing Trump and supporting Biden.
High-profile individuals such as film director Spike Lee, former high-ranking tech executive Sheryl Sandberg, past Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and eco-focused billionaire Tom Steyer have also been counted among James’ benefactors.
The Trump camp has voiced regular critiques against James throughout the unfolding of the civil fraud trial, lamenting the procedural stance that precludes a jury trial and asserting the baselessness of the case.
Judge Engoron, a noted donor to Democratic causes, maintains sole jurisdiction over the proceedings and the determination of outcomes, which could include a significant $250 million in penalties against Trump’s business ventures, should James’ allegations of fraudulent practices hold up in court.
The verdict reached by Engoron last month was damning, finding that Trump and his organization engaged in fraud while shaping his real estate empire, an assertion drawn from James’ suit that alleges Trump massively overstated his net worth and that his children were complicit in this exaggeration.
Requests to James’ campaign for commentary on the donations have, as of the latest reports, been met without response.