New York Attorney General Letitia James made her first public appearance Monday, Oct. 13, since being indicted on federal fraud charges — and she didn’t mince words.
Standing before a roaring crowd in Washington Heights, James delivered a fiery speech that turned what could have been a moment of political vulnerability into one of defiance and solidarity.
The longtime Democrat, who has been one of President Donald Trump’s most persistent legal adversaries, was greeted with chants of “We love Tish!” as she took the stage at a campaign rally for mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. The applause was thunderous, the message clear: her supporters are standing firm.
James, 65, framed her indictment not as a personal crisis but as part of a broader struggle over the integrity of the American justice system.
“We are witnessing the fraying of our democracy, the erosion of our system of government,” she said passionately. “This, my friends, is a defining moment in our history.”
via Associated Press
Without directly naming Trump — who has publicly called for her prosecution — James warned of “powerful voices trying to silence truth and punish dissent” and vowed she “will not capitulate.”
The crowd erupted when she thundered, “You come for me, you got to come through all of us! Every single one of us!”
A Political Storm Amid Legal Trouble
James’ remarks come days after federal prosecutors charged her with bank fraud and making false statements in connection with a 2020 home purchase in Norfolk, Virginia. According to court filings, James allegedly violated a mortgage agreement that required her to live in the home for at least one year by renting it out to tenants instead.
James, who has called the charges “baseless,” maintains that the indictment is “nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.” Her attorneys have declined to comment further ahead of her scheduled court appearance in Virginia on Oct. 24.
If convicted, James would automatically forfeit her position under New York law — a potential seismic shift in the state’s political landscape. But for now, she appears determined to fight back, both in court and in the court of public opinion.
Support and Skepticism
Mamdani, the 33-year-old state lawmaker and progressive favorite who hosted the rally, has been among James’ most vocal defenders. Calling the charges “a shameless act of political retribution,” he said the indictment underscores “the dangerous precedent of criminalizing political opposition.”
James’ relationship with Trump — marked by years of legal showdowns — looms large over the case. As attorney general, she sued the former president and his companies over alleged financial fraud, ultimately securing a judgment that a court later reduced but still affirmed as fraudulent conduct.
Trump, meanwhile, has dismissed her as “corrupt” and has characterized the indictment as “karma.” His supporters have cheered the case as long-overdue accountability, while Democrats see it as another chapter in what they call Trump’s politicization of federal law enforcement.
An Unbroken Base and a Larger Fight
James’ ability to draw such a supportive crowd amid scandal speaks volumes about her standing among progressives. To her base, she remains the symbol of resistance to Trump-era conservatism and institutional abuse of power. To her critics, she is proof that political ambition can blur ethical boundaries.
Her remarks — part moral defense, part call to arms — signaled that she’s not retreating from the spotlight. “Protect every norm and every rule of law,” she urged the crowd. “We are stronger together than any force that seeks to divide or destroy.”
The rally, also featuring New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud and TV personality The Kid Mero, marked the beginning of the final push in Mamdani’s mayoral race against former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. For James, though, it doubled as both a show of resilience and a test of loyalty — one she appears to be passing among New York’s progressive ranks.
If there’s one takeaway from Monday’s rally, it’s that Letitia James is not backing down. Whether she can survive politically and legally, however, may determine not just her future but the tone of New York politics for years to come.
