The woman now at the center of a scandal involving New York Attorney General Tish James previously won a $795,000 settlement after suing the federal government. Shamiso Maswoswe, the head of the Investor Protection Bureau, claimed the Trump administration fired her because she is a black woman with a sick child. She settled that discrimination case in 2023 while working in the state office that now faces accusations of political bias. The irony is stark and undeniable for any observer of these events.
According to reports, Maswoswe filed her complaint in 2021 alleging unfair treatment. The filing stated that federal officials ended her career on the very day she secured a major legal victory. “The [DOJ] Public Integrity Section terminated Ms. Maswoswe on the same day that she completed a successful sentencing hearing in the aftermath of her large and highly publicized jury trial victory,” the complaint said. Her colleagues were still celebrating her win when the firing notice arrived.
Now, Maswoswe faces her own severe allegations regarding how she uses her power. A prosecutor in her office sent an email claiming she ordered him to target Donald Trump and his social media platform. Matthew Wiesenfeld, the prosecutor named by The Daily Caller, stated she directed him to proceed without a valid basis for targeting this organizations and individuals [sic]. This directive allegedly came without any legal basis to support such an aggressive stance.
According to reports, Maswoswe directed him to locate and prosecute offenses by particular individuals and organizations linked to Donald Trump. He sent this message to roughly 2,000 colleagues before quickly deleting it from the server. The Times Union noted that James’ general counsel, Kumiki Gibson, followed up by calling the situation an “internal” matter. An investigation into these allegations is underway, and Wiesenfeld has subsequently been assigned to unpaid administrative leave.
Nobody is above the law, not even @realDonaldTrump.
Forcing the nation’s top law enforcement official to resign doesn’t give him a free pass—it only raises suspicions.
I want NYers to know I‘ll hold those in power accountable & make sure the Special Counsel’s work continues.
— Tish James (@TishJames) November 7, 2018
This situation raises serious questions about the integrity of the office Maswoswe leads. She sued the federal government for discriminating against her based on race and family needs. Now, her own subordinate accuses her of discriminating against a political rival. The New York Post explained her assertion that the Trump DOJ terminated her employment due to her need to care for her premature baby. “Ms. Maswoswe and her colleagues at the Public Integrity Section were celebrating her victory when she received notice that she was being summoned to meet with Human Resources,” the complaint said.
James’ office defends its actions by stating they uphold the law for everyone. “The office of the attorney general is committed to upholding New York’s laws and protecting the rights and freedoms of all New Yorkers, regardless of political beliefs,” a statement to the Times Union read. James herself tweeted that “Nobody is above the law, not even @realDonaldTrump.” Yet the email from her own staff suggests a different motive for targeting a specific former president.
For American families, this story is about more than just politics. It touches on how public money gets spent and who gets targeted by the law. The prosecutor charged the attorney general with deploying “significant public taxpayer dollars to target convenient public enemies” When officials use their power to settle personal scores, the system fails the people it serves. We expect fairness, not a weaponized legal system.
Maswoswe received nearly $800,000 from the federal government for her past hardships. Now she stands accused of creating similar hardships for others based on their politics. The Daily Caller reported that the email claimed she wanted to prosecute the president for crimes committed in New York state.
