ALBANY, N.Y. (VINnews) — A prosecutor in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office has accused his supervisor of directing him to pursue potential wrongdoing involving President Donald Trump and people and organizations connected to him, according to an agency-wide email obtained by the Times Union.

Assistant Attorney General Daniel Wiesenfeld, who works in the office’s Investor Protection Bureau, sent the email Friday to hundreds of colleagues. The message was later deleted from the office’s computer servers, and a follow-up message was sent to employees describing the matter as an internal personnel issue, the Times Union reported.

Wiesenfeld alleged that his bureau chief, Shamiso Maswoswe, had instructed him to focus on Trump, Truth Social and Hewlett-Packard despite what he characterized as a lack of a credible basis for pursuing them.

The allegations have not been independently substantiated.

James’ office placed Wiesenfeld on paid administrative leave and rejected his accusations.

“This is a personnel matter,” Alexis Richards, a spokesperson for James, said in a statement provided to the Times Union. She said the attorney general’s office is committed to enforcing New York law and protecting the rights and freedoms of New Yorkers regardless of their political views. The office “strongly” rejected Wiesenfeld’s allegations.

Wiesenfeld, a former Brooklyn assistant district attorney who has worked for the attorney general’s office for about two years, could not be reached for comment Saturday, according to the Times Union.

His email accused James’ office of devoting taxpayer resources to politically motivated investigations. He also criticized the office for what he described as insufficient action on alleged fraud involving nonprofit homeless shelters and antisemitic crimes near synagogues.

The episode comes against the backdrop of a yearslong political and legal battle between James and Trump.

James campaigned for attorney general in 2018 while promising to investigate Trump and his business dealings. Her office later brought a civil fraud case against Trump, his sons and the Trump Organization.

A Manhattan judge in 2024 ordered Trump and other defendants to pay more than $360 million after finding them liable for fraud involving financial statements that overstated the value of Trump’s assets.

Trump appealed the ruling. In August 2025, a New York appellate court upheld the underlying finding of liability but eliminated the financial penalty, according to the Times Union.

The political conflict has also extended to Washington.

During Trump’s second administration, the Justice Department pursued a criminal investigation involving James over allegations related to mortgage and bank fraud. The case was ultimately dismissed by federal judges.

James’ defense attorney, Abbe Lowell, had accused the Trump administration of using federal law enforcement for political retaliation because of James’ investigations involving Trump.

Trump and his allies have similarly accused James of using her office to pursue political opponents.

The dispute has involved federal prosecutors in New York as well.

John A. Sarcone III, who served as acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, obtained grand jury subpoenas involving James’ office as part of an investigation into its handling of cases involving the National Rifle Association and Trump’s family businesses.

A federal appeals court ruled this month that Sarcone had not been lawfully appointed to the position when he issued the subpoenas. The court also noted that the grand jury had been discharged in March, meaning the subpoenas were no longer enforceable, according to the Times Union.

Wiesenfeld’s email has added another public dispute to the long-running confrontation between Trump and James.

For now, James’ office is treating the matter as a personnel issue, with Wiesenfeld on paid administrative leave.