Tish is NY’s 1st black AG
Letitia James was elected the state’s first African-American attorney general on Tuesday, handily beating Republican political novice Keith Wofford to become New York’s top lawyer.
James, now serving as New York City’s public advocate, had 61 percent of the vote to Wofford’s 32 percent, with about two-thirds of election precincts reporting.
“This is historic. This is pride — to see someone who’s come up through the ranks from our community and who our community knows and really adores and loves. Tish has not only been a voice on the issues, but someone that people really consider family,” said City Councilmember Donovan Richards, chair of the Public Safety Committee.
“This is a big moment for the African-American community, for the black community — not just in New York City but in New York state.”
In the race for state Comptroller, incumbent Tom DiNapoli easily beat Republican challenger Jonathan Trichter by a better than 2-to-1 margin.
As for James, she had made political history several times in her career — including as the first black woman elected to citywide office when she won the public advocate’s race in 2013.
More recently, with her Democratic primary win against three relatively strong opponents in September, James became the first black woman to win a nomination for statewide office.
Since taking a primary in which all four candidates were united in the call to keep President Trump in check, James has announced her intention as Attorney General to target issues that run the gamut: eliminating cash bail, investigating e-cigarette companies that target minors, rehabilitating vacant “zombie” properties, and protecting the state’s water from “harmful toxins.”
But when Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the US Supreme Court in October, James made it clear she’d sharpen her focus on Trump.
“As the next attorney general, I will investigate Trump’s constitutional abuses and his shady business practices in New York,” she said in a press release on Oct. 6. “And I will sue the president each time this administration violates the laws and the Constitution of the country.”
The AG seat became available when Eric Schneiderman resigned in the wake of claims he had physically abused several women.