Attendees at the National Action Network rally in Harlem on Saturday may have left holding their ears after New York Attorney General Letitia James went on a rant about the Trump administration that reached a shrill pitch.
In her speech, James mainly took aim at efforts by the Trump administration to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in the Department of Health and Human Services, a department James referred to on at least one occasion as the “Health and Hospitals Association.” She claimed that the Trump team wants to starve essential programs like Head Start, Meals on Wheels, and the World Trade Center Healthcare Program for 9/11 first responders.
“And you want me to sit in my seat and stand idly by and allow this craziness to happen?” she screeched, pointing strangely with her thumb and index finger about an inch apart.
James said she instead would sue the federal government — including HHS Sec. Robert Kennedy Jr., whom she called “the guy with a worm in his head” — over these cuts and that other Democrat attorneys general would join her.
‘You elected me to continue fighting on, AND I WILL FIGHT ON!’
James did not provide further details about the lawsuit, the New York Post said, presumably including the names of other interested AGs. Fox News host Aishah Hasnie noted that, considering the accusations against James swirling about, “I’m not sure who’s going to want to jump in on that.”
Hasnie was alluding to allegations from the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency that James repeatedly committed mortgage fraud. According to FHFA Director William Pulte, James:
falsely claimed in August 2023 she would make a home in Norfolk, Virginia, her “principal residence,” even though she never lived there full-time and New York law requires statewide officeholders to reside in New York.misrepresented the number of units at her Brooklyn property to secure a conforming loan from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.even listed her father as her husband on a real estate purchase in 1983 to obtain a better mortgage rate. Other documents from May 2000 listed James, who has never been married, as “husband and wife,” though whether her father was likewise mentioned in those documents is unclear.
Last month, Pulte referred James to the Department of Justice for a criminal investigation into possible wire, mail, and bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. James has since claimed the allegations are “baseless.”
Nevertheless, James made veiled reference to those allegations in her speech to the National Action Network on Saturday, railing, “You can come after me if you want,” as she pounded her chest.
“But you elected me to stand up! You elected me to use the law! You elected me to go to court! You elected me to continue to challenge this administration,” she continued, her voice growing increasingly louder.
Others on stage, including race activist Al Sharpton and NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whom James supports in the upcoming NYC mayoral election, rose to their feet as James’ rant reached a piercing crescendo.
“You elected me to stand up for the least of God’s children. You elected me to continue fighting on, AND I WILL FIGHT ON!” she yelled.
You can hear a 30-second clip of her speech here. Gothamist described the speech as “fiery.” The Post claimed James “barked.”
The White House and HHS did not respond to a request for comment from the Post.
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Letitia james, Trump, Hhs, Politics