Letitia James Rejects Ruling About 'Ominous' Letter to Trump Supporters

New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks during a press conference in New York City on August 3, 2021. James has appealed a judge’s ruling allowing a case against her to move forward surrounding a letter she wrote to the pro-Trump ReAwaken America Tour.

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed an appeal rejecting a judge's decision about an allegedly "ominous" letter she wrote to supporters of former President Donald Trump.

The case involves the "ReAwaken America" tour, which has traveled across the United States and has featured a number of high-profile conservatives rallying in support of Trump. The tour has been shrouded in controversy over its speakers' embrace of far-right conspiracy theories, antisemitism, alleged support for violence and other extremist remarks. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has described it as "a series of controversial far-right conferences."

In 2022, the tour was set to hold an event at Cornerstone Church in Batavia, New York—about 40 miles east of Buffalo—drawing scrutiny from James and other Democrats in the state.

Ahead of the event, James—who has made headlines over her civil case against Trump in recent months—wrote a letter voicing concerns about whether the event could "spur extremist or racially motivated violence."

The letter sparked a lawsuit from the church's pastor, Paul Doyle, and Clay Clark, who has organized the tour, in which they accused James of damaging their reputation, arguing the tour has not had "a single publicized act of violence at any of their events" and that they worked with law enforcement to ensure all local laws would be followed, according to court documents.

Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder Jr. recommended in March that the letter could "reasonably be construed as threatening citizens with prosecution should they exercise their First Amendment rights," describing it as "ominous" and "heavy-handed."

U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. then adopted these recommendations, allowing the case to move forward against James.

Last week, James filed a notice that she is appealing the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

In her letter, James raised concerns about the rhetoric used during the tour.

"I am especially concerned about featured speakers' regular allusions to white nationalist ideals connected to the 'Great Replacement Theory,' a conspiracy theory that warns of white genocide and efforts to replace native born Americans with immigrants," James wrote.

She continued, "The theory is frequently linked to violent actions, including the racially motivated mass shooting that killed 10 people at a Tops Friendly Markets store in Buffalo."

James warned that racially motivated violence, harassment or interference with another person is illegal in New York, and that her office has a "duty to protect New Yorkers from extremist and racially motivated violence."

Meanwhile, in the complaint, Doyle and Clark described the letter as "sheer harassment directed at people based on their race, color and a beliefs or perceptions regarding religion or religious practice."

"Defendant James, under color of state or local law, deprived Plaintiffs of their right to association and right to free speech, as provided by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, as the motivating factors for her contemptuous letter were the political and religious viewpoints of the Plaintiffs coupled with their race and color," the complaint reads.

In an earlier filing outlining objections to the recommendations, James wrote that their complaints should be dismissed, arguing the letter is not any different than others she has written in her official capacity, qualified as protected speech, and that she is protected by qualified immunity and absolute privilege.

Newsweek reached out to James' office, Cornerstone Church and the Reawaken America Tour for comment via email.

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