Bar complaint and removal demands target New York Attorney General Letitia James

A bar ethics complaint has been filed against New York Attorney General Letitia James over statements she made before her appointment as special prosecutor in the Chi Phi fraternity case at Cornell University, the New York Post reported. The complaint alleges that James made prejudicial comments regarding seven men accused in an alleged 2024 gang rape. UPI and Fox News both report that defense attorneys are seeking her removal from the case, citing public statements that show she has already prejudged the guilt of the accused. [1][2][6]

The ethics complaint follows a social media post made by James two days before she was appointed special prosecutor, according to the New York Post. Fox News reported that James posted the words We stand with you online in support of the accuser. Defense lawyers for defendants Gillio Lopes and Winston Lee have asked a judge to dismiss James, arguing that her public comments demonstrate clear bias, UPI reported. [1][2][6]

The dispute centers on a case involving seven fraternity members linked to an alleged 2024 assault. As FTMQ News reported earlier, defense attorneys previously called for James to recuse herself over her online remarks. James, who has served as the attorney general of New York since 2019, was first elected in 2018 and is the first Black person to hold the statewide office. [1][2][12][14]

The controversy has also become a focal point in her current re-election campaign. AOL reported that James was pressed during a recent debate on whether she could remain impartial in the case. Reports from Fox Business and Fox News noted that James faced criticism during the debate after going silent for several seconds when asked to name a former state attorney general she admired. [3][4][10]