New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Republican challenger released a mock 52-count indictment on Thursday accusing the Democratic incumbent of neglecting core law enforcement duties, hours before the two faced off in their first televised debate of the general election campaign.
Republican candidate Saritha Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor who secured convictions against Islamist terrorists and Mexican drug cartel leaders, authored the indictment-style release. It accuses James of failing to address mentally ill people living on the streets, repeat offenders, hate crimes and fraud while instead focusing her energy on political fights with President Donald Trump.
One count centers on a state law that Komatireddy says has kept prosecutors from charging rape in certain cases involving intoxicated victims.
“When a law keeps prosecutors from charging rape, it is the chief law enforcement officer’s job to get it changed,” Komatireddy wrote. “The defendant (James) had eight legislative sessions and a Legislature led by her own party. Beyond one social media post, the People have found no evidence that she made the bill a priority.”
James’ campaign dismissed the indictment-style release as a political stunt. A campaign spokeswoman pointed to local enforcement work as evidence of the attorney general’s record.
“Attorney General Letitia James files real lawsuits in real courts every day to protect New Yorkers’ rights and their wallets,” the spokeswoman told Fox News Digital. “While Saritha Komatireddy spent today writing this press release, the attorney general announced the arrest and indictment of a Queens pharmacy owner for defrauding Medicaid to the tune of $31 million.”
The Queens case, involving an alleged $31 million Medicaid fraud scheme, was cited by James’ team as a real-time example of the office’s work, in contrast with what they characterized as a campaign press release.
Komatireddy’s campaign fired back, arguing that the stunt accusation was ironic coming from James.
“Tish James is one to talk about campaign stunts! Her entire tenure as attorney general has been one long political campaign stunt,” Komatireddy spokeswoman Nicole Kiprilov told Fox News Digital. “While Letitia was busy chasing her next political headline, crime rose 26%, homelessness rose 38%, and New York became the laughingstock of the nation in prosecuting Medicaid fraud — dead last. Those are the real consequences of an Attorney General more interested in political theater than public safety.”
James has pursued a number of high-profile legal actions during her tenure, including a civil fraud case against Trump and a sexual harassment investigation of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo that preceded his resignation.
Despite the sharp exchange, Komatireddy faces long odds in the heavily Democratic state. A Siena University poll released last month showed James leading Komatireddy 52% to 39%, though her advantage had narrowed by five points between August and September polling.
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