New York Attorney General Letitia James faced a sharp attack from a young Republican challenger, who branded her a “political hack” during a tense and at times uncomfortable debate.
James, a Democrat, was confronted by Saritha Komatireddy, 42, a longtime federal prosecutor running for office for the first time, during Thursday night’s contest.
“New Yorkers, you do not have an attorney general right now,” Komatireddy declared. “For the last eight years, you’ve had a political hack sitting in the chair using our taxpayer money for her political purposes.”
With fewer than four weeks remaining before voters go to the polls on November 3, the exchange quickly turned combative. James called Komatireddy a “Trump puppet,” while her Republican opponent accused the attorney general of failing to take decisive action against crime in New York City.
“The laws are broken and Letitia James broke them,” Komatireddy said, pointing to James’s support for bail policies critics have described as “catch and release.”
The debate also produced an awkward exchange when James was asked to name a former New York attorney general she admired. After more than 10 seconds of hesitation, Komatireddy interrupted with a jab: “She only admires herself.”
The encounter came as James has drawn heightened public attention in recent weeks after being appointed special prosecutor in the case of a Cornell student who says she was gang-raped by seven fraternity members.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul selected James for the role, but the appointment triggered criticism because the attorney general had already publicly expressed support for the accuser before beginning her investigation.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is facing criticism after struggling through a gaffe-filled debate performance against young GOP upstart Saritha Komatireddy, 42
Before her appointment as special prosecutor, James issued a statement in late September saying: “What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable. I’m holding her in my heart and in my prayers. To her, and to all survivors: you’re not alone. We stand with you.”
When Komatireddy questioned James’s impartiality during Thursday’s debate, James argued that her earlier comments did not demonstrate bias or amount to a presumption of guilt. Instead, she said, they were intended to “demonstrate empathy.”
“What we need now more than ever in our body politics is more empathy,” James said.
“(Hochul) is requesting an unbiased investigation and a thorough investigation, and we will do that, based on the facts and based on the evidence.”
Komatireddy continued her criticism of James’s handling of the case, arguing that she “has certainly never prosecuted a sexual assault case, and she has already screwed this one up by prejudging it.”
Komatireddy has attempted to portray herself as a hardline, anti-crime crusader, and she made her campaign slogan: “Just fight crime”
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The debate came as James has landed in the public spotlight in recent weeks, following her appointment by New York Governor Kathy Hochul (above) as special prosecutor in the case of a Cornell student who claims she was gang raped by seven fraternity brothers
The Republican challenger has sought to establish herself as a tough, anti-crime candidate, adopting the campaign slogan: “Just fight crime.”
During Thursday’s debate, Komatireddy blamed James for crime across New York and criticized her support for catch-and-release policies that limit judges’ ability to impose bail in many cases.
She linked those rules to the death of an NYPD officer who was stabbed by two undocumented migrants who had been released despite having criminal records.
Komatireddy also attacked James over the seizure of what she said were only 10,000 illegal guns during the attorney general’s eight years in office, calling the figure “pathetic.” “New Jersey seized 16,000 guns in one year,” she said.
Komatireddy, a former Assistant US Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, said she would fix the issue by letting judges consider the ‘dangerousness’ of a criminal when deciding whether to grant them bail.
She said: ‘It doesn’t make sense. This is a way forward without repealing the entire bail law. It’s just about having a common sense solution. It has bipartisan support.’
When James was asked to defend the bail laws under her administration, she brushed over the question and tied Komatireddy’s attacks to President Donald Trump, who has endorsed the young Republican candidate.
Komatireddy, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, is a Trump-endorsed Republican making her first run for political office
‘All she wants to do is prosecute individuals and institutionalize [them]. No compassion. No understanding of the issues,’ James said, to which Komatireddy added: ‘Just to be clear, she won’t change the bail laws.’
‘You unfortunately have not said anything critical of this administration,’ James fired back. ‘And you won’t, because you are basically auditioning for another position.’
Komatireddy fired back that she had only ever met President Trump once and cited her work under former President Barack Obama, and said Trump endorsed her because ‘I have a great resume.’
Facing criticisms for her handling of prosecutions against Trump, James attempted to brush off the attacks as she argued that she followed the law in her approach.
‘Politics stops at the door in my office,’ she said, a remark that drew a laugh from Komatireddy.
