The indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James on two felony counts of mortgage fraud has sent shockwaves through the political landscape of New York City, upending the already volatile mayoral race and exposing deep rifts among Democratic leaders. The charges, widely seen as politically motivated and orchestrated by President Donald Trump, have not only galvanized James’s supporters but also placed former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a particularly precarious position as he campaigns for mayor.
According to POLITICO, the indictment—handed down by a Virginia grand jury on October 9, 2025—accuses James of making false statements to a financial institution while securing a loan for a property she claimed as a primary residence but allegedly rented out. The move followed a very public directive from President Trump, who labeled James “guilty as hell” and replaced a prosecutor who had declined to bring charges. Democratic officials across New York rallied to James’s defense, seeing the prosecution as a clear act of retribution for her office’s aggressive pursuit of Trump in a high-profile civil fraud case.
James’s legal troubles have quickly become a focal point in the lead-up to the November 4 mayoral election, with candidates Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo each claiming the other is ill-equipped to stand up to Trump’s increasingly adversarial administration. The Democratic nominee, Mamdani, currently leads Cuomo by double digits in recent polls, bolstered by James’s endorsement and the energy of a base outraged by what they view as a politically motivated attack on one of their own.
Cuomo’s initial response to the indictment was notably muted. On the evening of October 9, he released a statement decrying the politicization of law enforcement “whether it comes from the right or the left,” without mentioning either James or Trump by name. This equivocation drew immediate criticism from fellow Democrats, many of whom felt the moment called for a more forceful defense of James. City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, a former mayoral candidate herself, didn’t mince words: “Andrew Cuomo, if you are too afraid to speak her name, let me give you a helping hand: her name is Tish James.”
The tension between Cuomo and James is nothing new. Their relationship soured dramatically in 2021, when James’s office released a damning report corroborating sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo, leading to his resignation as governor. Cuomo continues to deny any wrongdoing and has worked to undermine the report’s findings through subsequent lawsuits, insisting he was denied due process. Now, as he runs for mayor as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani, Cuomo finds himself needing the support of the very Democrats who have rallied around James.
In a news conference outside the courthouse where James famously sued Trump for business fraud, Mamdani seized on Cuomo’s reticence, telling reporters, “If you are unwilling to do so today, if you cannot say Donald Trump’s name today, how will you stand up to him tomorrow?” He argued that the city needs leaders who can present a united front against Trump, pointing to the coordinated resistance in states like California, where the mayor, attorney general, and governor have worked together to fend off federal overreach.
Cuomo, for his part, eventually issued a more direct statement on October 10, naming James and condemning the weaponization of the justice system by both parties. “The weaponization and politicization of the justice system is wrong no matter which side you are on—period,” he said, referencing his own experience as governor when the Trump administration’s Department of Justice launched investigations into his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It is wrong when Trump’s DOJ does it or when a Democrat does it, and it must be universally condemned.”
The stakes of the mayoral contest have only grown as Trump has sought to influence the race, including efforts to entice Mayor Eric Adams—who recently dropped his re-election bid after a corruption indictment that was later withdrawn—to step aside in favor of Cuomo. Trump’s allies have reportedly discussed the possibility of denaturalizing Mamdani if he wins, and the president has floated the idea of cutting federal aid to New York City should the Democratic socialist assemblymember take office. State Senator Jabari Brisport voiced concerns shared by many Democrats: “I don’t think anybody has put forth an answer for what to do if Donald Trump tries to denaturalize the mayor of New York City, but that’s something he’s intimated before and it may be one of the tools.”
Support for James has crystallized among Democratic activists. On the night of her indictment, more than 100 Black women political leaders convened on a conference call organized in part by the NAACP and the New York Working Families Party, strategizing ways to support James and energize the party’s base ahead of the election. Jasmine Gripper, co-director of the Working Families Party, described the mood as a “virtual rally” and predicted that the case would turbocharge turnout in the deep-blue city. “The New York City mayor’s race is a barometer on how much New Yorkers don’t like Trump and they want a leader who is going to stand up against him,” she said. “It’s why you’re going to see a rallying cry for Zohran and Tish James. It’s a roar for our democracy.”
James herself has remained defiant, vowing to fight the charges and continue her work as attorney general. “We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights,” she said in a statement posted to X after the indictment was announced. Her defenders see the prosecution as naked political retaliation for her successful lawsuit against Trump, which resulted in a guilty verdict and a $500 million fine—though the penalty is currently under appeal. The timing of her indictment, coming on the heels of similar prosecutions of Trump adversaries like former FBI Director James Comey, has only fueled suspicions that the legal system is being used as a weapon against political opponents.
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa echoed concerns about the weaponization of the legal process, telling reporters, “We watched Donald Trump endure lawfare, and now Attorney General Tish James is facing it too. It’s got to end.” Even Mayor Adams, when asked about the indictment, urged patience, saying, “Let the process play out,” before shifting focus to his own legal woes.
As the November 4 election draws near, the drama surrounding James’s indictment and the city’s response to Trump’s aggressive tactics have transformed the mayoral race into a referendum not just on local leadership, but on the resilience of New York’s political institutions in the face of unprecedented federal pressure. The outcome will likely reverberate far beyond City Hall, shaping the city’s—and perhaps the nation’s—political future for years to come.