NY AG Rival Releases Mock Indictment Accusing James of Neglecting Duties

Republican challenger Saritha Komatireddy has issued a mock 52-count indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James, accusing the Democratic incumbent of neglecting her duties and prioritizing political battles over state issues. The charges, released by Komatireddy's campaign on Thursday, allege that James has failed to address problems such as mentally ill individuals on the streets, repeat offenders, hate crimes, and fraud.

The move comes just hours before James and Komatireddy were scheduled to participate in their first televised debate of the general election campaign. Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor, has framed the attack as turning James' own legal strategies against her, positioning the current attorney general as the defendant.

The mock indictment specifically criticizes James for allegedly being too focused on political disputes with former President Donald Trump, rather than tackling these core issues. Komatireddy's campaign also pointed to a specific law related to intoxicated victims in sexual assault cases, arguing that James, despite having legislative sessions and a party-led legislature, had not made changing the law a priority, citing only a social media post as her action.

A spokeswoman for Attorney General James dismissed the mock indictment as a "campaign stunt." She highlighted James' active legal work, noting that on the same day Komatireddy released the statement, the attorney general announced the arrest and indictment of a Queens pharmacy owner for defrauding Medicaid of $31 million.

In response, a spokeswoman for Komatireddy criticized James' tenure, calling it "one long political campaign stunt." She claimed that while James was pursuing headlines, crime rose by 26%, homelessness by 38%, and New York ranked last in prosecuting Medicaid fraud, attributing these outcomes to an attorney general more interested in "political theater than public safety."

New York is considered a deep blue state, and Komatireddy faces an uphill battle. A recent Siena University poll showed James leading Komatireddy 52% to 39%. However, James' lead has reportedly narrowed by five points between August and September, according to Siena University's polling.

During her tenure, James has pursued several high-profile legal actions, including a civil fraud case against Donald Trump and a sexual harassment investigation into former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, which led to his resignation.