New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani criticized President Trump on Thursday.coming afterNew York Attorney General Letitia James.
“Donald Trump is coming after him because he did the right thing,” Mamdani said at a Thursday night rally in lower Manhattan. “He held him to account. He showed that no man and no one would-be king is above the equal law.”
He further said, “This is an authoritarian administration and we, the people, will not stand for it.” “And so when we reject Donald Trump’s approach — one of cruelty, one of punishment, one of smallness, one of betrayal — we do it with our approach of solidarity and when it comes to James, of getting him back.”
James – whom Mamdani called “one of the state’s greatest champions” – pleaded not guilty Friday on two federal charges stemming from mortgage fraud allegations. He was convicted by the Trump administration earlier this month.
The Empire State’s top prosecutor criticized Trump’s case against him after leaving court Friday, This stems from saying A “justice system that has been used as a tool of revenge.” In last several weeksThe administration has imposed penalties on James and two others. perceived rival – Former FBI Director James Comey and former national security Advisor John Bolton – with allegations, raising concerns about Trump’s use of the Justice Department to prosecute political rivals.
james brought a civil fraud case In 2022 against Trump and his business empire, which alleged that the then-former President had inflated his net worth for tax and insurance benefits. A New York judge found Trump liable for fraud and imposed a $354.8 million fine against the president.
Penalty fee finally increased More than $500 million due in interest. An appeals court voided the fine in August but upheld the case. Both Trump and James have appealed.
At Thursday’s rally, Mamdani expressed his support for James in challenging his indictment.
“We know she will come out of this the same way she came into it: an advocate for the people of the city, the state and the people of this country,” he said. “And she will continue in this fight, and we will continue with her.”
