WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Saritha Komatireddy released a mock 52 count indictment accusing Letitia James of neglecting crime, fraud, homelessness and other duties.
  • James’ campaign dismissed the attack as a stunt and cited a $31 million Medicaid fraud case involving a Queens pharmacy owner.
  • Komatireddy’s campaign said crime rose 26% and homelessness rose 38% while criticizing James’ Medicaid fraud record.
  • A Siena University poll showed James leading Komatireddy 52% to 39%, though her advantage narrowed by five points.

Republican New York attorney general candidate Saritha Komatireddy unveiled a mock 52-count indictment Thursday against Democratic incumbent Letitia James. The campaign broadside accuses James of neglecting the duties of the state’s top law enforcement office while pursuing political fights with President Donald Trump.

The mock indictment targets James over mentally ill people living on the streets, repeat offenders, hate crimes, and fraud. Komatireddy argues that James focused on sparring with Trump rather than adequately addressing those problems.

The attack arrived just hours before James and Komatireddy were scheduled to meet Thursday night in their first televised debate of the general election campaign. It gave the Republican challenger a pointed theme heading into the showdown.

Komatireddy is a former federal prosecutor who secured convictions against Islamist terrorists and prosecuted Mexican drug cartel leaders. Her indictment-style press release casts James as the defendant, effectively turning the attorney general’s own legal playbook against her.

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One accusation concerns a New York law involving intoxicated victims and the ability of prosecutors to bring rape charges. Komatireddy argued that James had repeated opportunities to make changing the law a priority while working with a Legislature controlled by her own party.

"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 mock indictment as little more than campaign theater. Her team countered by highlighting the attorney general’s lawsuits and a newly announced Medicaid fraud case.

"Attorney General Letitia James files real lawsuits in real courts every day to protect New Yorkers’ rights and their wallets," a James campaign 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."

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Komatireddy’s campaign quickly rejected that response. Spokeswoman Nicole Kiprilov argued that James was hardly in a position to complain about political stunts after her own tenure in office.

"Tish James is one to talk about campaign stunts! Her entire tenure as attorney general has been one long political campaign stunt," 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."

Komatireddy has also criticized James for allegedly failing to adequately investigate and prosecute Medicaid fraud. Her campaign’s response placed that issue alongside crime and homelessness as evidence supporting its broader attack on the incumbent’s record.

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The political terrain remains difficult for the Republican challenger because New York is a deep blue state. A Siena University poll released last month showed James leading Komatireddy 52% to 39%, leaving the incumbent with a commanding advantage.

Still, the same polling showed that James’ lead was shrinking. Her advantage over Komatireddy narrowed by five points between August and September, giving the challenger some movement despite the substantial gap.

James has pursued several major legal actions during her tenure as New York attorney general. Those include a civil fraud case against Trump and a sexual harassment investigation of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo that preceded his resignation.

Komatireddy’s mock indictment attempts to shift attention from those prominent cases to James’ handling of public safety, fraud, and other state concerns. With the first televised general election debate arriving Thursday night, the Republican challenger made clear that James’ record would be placed squarely on trial, at least on the campaign stage.

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