New York Post Endorses Saritha Komatireddy for Attorney General, Criticizing Incumbent Letitia James

The New York Post has endorsed Saritha Komatireddy in her bid for Attorney General, contrasting her with the incumbent, Letitia James. The editorial board characterized James as a "lifelong political hack" whose tenure has been marked by pro-criminal policies and a failure to uphold her core duties of public protection.

Komatireddy, a career prosecutor with experience under both Republican and Democratic administrations, has stated her intention to use the attorney general's powers to combat crime, including fraud and corruption, and to enhance public safety. The Post highlighted her background, noting her work in prosecuting terrorists, cartel members, and cybercriminals.

Komatireddy expressed concerns about the state of public safety in New York, citing personal experiences and broader trends. "We’ve had a member of my family assaulted in the subway, taking my kids to school. We have a family friend who had a stray bullet come through her bedroom while she was sleeping," Komatireddy told The Post. She added, "New Yorkers don’t feel safe, they feel less safe now than when Tish James began as attorney general and the reason is simple: They are less safe now."

The publication pointed to statistics indicating a rise in felony assaults in New York City since James took office in 2019, with felony assaults up 44% and subway felony assaults up 59%. The Post criticized James's assertion that her role is "focused on civil matters and not criminal matters" as a dodge, arguing that Komatireddy plans to utilize powers James allegedly neglects except to pursue "ideological causes."

Further criticisms leveled against James include the alleged misuse of funds, such as spending "$20 million or more to hire outside lawyers" and directing "at least $54 million in taxpayer funds to criminal-friendly nonprofits."

The Post contrasted James's career with Komatireddy's, stating that while Komatireddy dedicated her career to imprisoning threats to society, James has spent her elected terms advocating for policies like the decriminalization of minor offenses, "Raise the Age" legislation, "no-cash bail," and discovery reform.

The editorial also noted James's focus on prosecuting former President Donald Trump, stating she "sued Team Trump 66 times in one two-year span alone, winning headlines but losing case after case, including her trash civil suit." The publication referenced a whistleblower in James's office who alleged abuses of power and the use of "significant public taxpayer dollars to target convenient public enemies."

The endorsement highlighted Komatireddy's record as "pristine" and described her as a "nonpartisan whirlwind of energy" capable of transforming the attorney general's office into a "prime force for public order and honesty."