Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is rallying support for state Attorney General Letitia James amidst her legal troubles.
The Queens socialist vocally defended James against actions from the Trump administration during a passionate press conference in Manhattan on Friday, asserting that the mortgage fraud case against her stems from political vengeance.
“This represents a blatant injustice. It is a despicable act of political retaliation,” Mamdani declared regarding the federal charges of bank fraud and providing false statements to financial institutions that surfaced on Thursday against James.
“Instead of targeting Tish James for fulfilling her responsibilities, Donald Trump should focus on his own duties.”
James previously secured a civil verdict against Trump and the Trump Organization for artificially inflating his real estate holdings, which resulted in penalties amounting to $355 million that were later overturned following an appeal amid Trump’s furious response.
The rally, characterized by its condemnation of Trump and support for James, appears to underscore the growing political alliance between Mamdani and the attorney general.
The two have developed a bond as staunch opponents of Trump, both becoming targets of his aggressive rhetoric.
While James initially backed City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams during the Democratic primary, she subsequently went “all in” for Mamdani following his unexpected victory in June.
Behind closed doors, James had conferred with Gov. Kathy Hochul multiple times before her surprise endorsement of Mamdani last month, as first reported by the New York Times.
James also guided Mamdani in the wake of July’s tragic mass shooting in Midtown, which resulted in an NYPD officer among the victims, according to The Times.
Adams, along with numerous other local progressive Democrats, participated in the event organized by Mamdani to support James, and even criticized Mamdani’s opponent in the mayoral race, former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
“(James) had insight into your true nature from the start and maintained that perspective throughout,” Adams remarked regarding Cuomo.
“Ultimately, Donald Trump is still orchestrating your actions from behind the curtain.”
Cuomo has a contentious history with James, who initiated the 2021 sexual harassment investigation that led to his resignation as governor.
Whereas other Democrats vocally opposed the indictment against James, Cuomo’s initial response was a tepid statement on X that failed to mention her explicitly.
Cuomo later elaborated on his comments with a follow-up statement to The Post on Friday.
“The use of the justice system for political gain is unacceptable, regardless of one’s political affiliations—period. It’s wrong when Trump’s DOJ engages in such conduct or when a Democrat does as well, and it must be condemned universally,” Cuomo stated.
“Having experienced firsthand how the DOJ was misused against me during my governorship, as well as against three other Democratic governors amid the peak of COVID, it’s disheartening to see similar tactics being employed against AG James and former FBI Director Comey – it’s a significant reason why public trust in our justice system is waning, and that undermines the foundation of our democracy,” he added.
