New York’s leading Democrats have offered limited public comment on a reported rape in Central Park, even as they moved swiftly in the past to denounce the case dubbed the “Cornell 7.”
Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James drew criticism after speaking publicly about an alleged rape at Cornell University in 2024, following a civil lawsuit filed in September that attracted national attention.
Although prosecutors had not filed criminal charges against the accused, James described the alleged assault as “horrific” and referred to the woman as a “survivor.” Hochul subsequently appointed James as a special prosecutor in the matter.
The two officials maintained a prominent presence as the Cornell allegations dominated headlines, prompting accusations that their statements could improperly influence the investigation.
Their response to Saturday night’s reported rape in Central Park, however, has been noticeably more restrained.
Asked by the New York Post on Sunday to comment, Hochul said: “All crimes are tragedies, and we are working hard with the NYPD to drive down every incident like this.
“It’s not acceptable. It’s not acceptable. People should feel safe when they go to our parks.”
According to police, a 39-year-old woman was threatened with a knife near East 67th Street and Fifth Avenue, in one of Manhattan’s wealthiest areas.
Investigators said a man who remains at large forced the woman into Central Park and attacked her. Police have released photographs showing a hooded man in a black tracksuit and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
The assault reportedly occurred on the steps of multimillion-dollar townhouses on the Upper East Side. Retired NYPD inspector Paul Mauro said the attack took place “in an area where you would hope that people would feel safe.”
Police said a suspect (above) threatened a 39-year-old woman with a knife on Manhattan’s Upper East Side on Saturday night, led her into Central Park and raped her before fleeing
Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James previously faced criticism for commenting on an alleged rape at Cornell University amid accusations that their remarks could prejudice the investigation
In a statement issued Tuesday, a spokesperson for Hochul told Our News Outlet: “Governor Hochul has zero tolerance for sexual violence and expects that any individual who commits these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
“Since taking office, the Governor has funded law enforcement at record levels and strengthened laws to improve New York’s response to sexual assault, ensuring that victims of this reprehensible crime receive the support and protections they need to recover.
“Governor Hochul’s top priority is public safety, and she will always fight to support victims and survivors of sexual assault and other crimes — full stop.”
Police said the woman was taken to a hospital and remained in “stable condition” following the Central Park attack.
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Authorities said the incident was the fifth reported rape in Central Park this year.
Mauro told Fox News that Hochul and James appeared to be handling the Central Park case differently from the Cornell controversy.
“Let something hit the news like the Cornell case, and all of a sudden, they’re all over the media, and they’re on a soapbox, and they’re holding press conferences,” the former police inspector said.
“We are less than 10 days away from an election, and that has to have a lot to do with it.”
Hochul and James are both seeking re-election on November 3. Polls indicate that each faces a serious Republican challenge from Bruce Blakeman and Saritha Komatireddy, respectively.
Cornell University students protested after allegations of a fraternity gang rape triggered intense media scrutiny at the Ivy League school
Komatireddy, 42, attacked James’ handling of the Cornell investigation during their only debate earlier this month, calling her a “political hack” who had tainted the inquiry.
The prosecutor accused James of having “already screwed up” the case by “prejudging it.”
As questions continued over James’ appointment as special prosecutor, sources told the New York Post last week that she intended to bring in an outside attorney to oversee the investigation.
James has faced demands that she recuse herself after publicly supporting the alleged victim. Sources said the Attorney General had contacted several former federal prosecutors about taking over the case.
During her debate with Komatireddy, James defended her previous comments, saying they were intended to “demonstrate empathy” for the Cornell student.
While James has reportedly taken steps to address concerns about a possible appearance of bias, Hochul reiterated her criticism of the “Cornell 7” during her own debate on October 15.
Hochul said she believed the alleged victim had been “failed at every turn” by authorities. Asked about requests from the defendants to remove James from the case, the governor replied: “I’m not prosecuting this case.”
“It seemed very clear that the boys in the fraternity are trying to cover up what they had done. A lot of acknowledgments, a lot of texts that are coming up,” Hochul said during the debate.
“So I said this. I want there to be an independent investigation. That’s underway. But it also became clear to me that the district attorney had already denied the opportunity to interview this young woman.”
Our News Outlet has contacted James for comment.
