Republican candidate for state attorney general Saritha Komatireddy came to Thursday night\u2019s NY1 debate prepared to take down the incumbent, Democrat Letitia James.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew Yorkers, you do not have an attorney general right now,\u201d she said. \u201cFor the last eight years, you\u2019ve had a political hack sitting in the chair using our taxpayer money for her political purposes.\u201d<\/p>\n
James came prepared to punch back.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important that individuals understand that my opponent knows nothing about the office of the attorney general,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
James is in the national spotlight, having been appointed by Gov. Kathy Hochul last week as special prosecutor in charge of the Cornell University rape investigation. That\u2019s brought scrutiny to her earlier comments expressing solidarity with the alleged victim.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose comments demonstrate empathy, and what we need now more than ever in our body politics is more empathy,\u201d James said.<\/p>\n
Hochul is “requesting an unbiased investigation and a thorough investigation. And we will do that, based on the facts and based on the evidence,” she added.<\/p>\n
Komatireddy used the opportunity to take a jab.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s never prosecuted a criminal case in her whole career,\u201d Komatireddy said. \u201cShe\u2019s certainly never prosecuted a sexual assault case. And she\u2019s already screwed this one up by prejudging it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Komatireddy, a longtime federal prosecutor making her first run for office, says she\u2019ll prioritize mental illness and Medicaid fraud, and argued\u00a0that James has made New York less safe.<\/p>\n
James, meanwhile, repeatedly turned the conversation to President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Komatireddy.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou, unfortunately, have not said anything critical of this administration,\u201d James said. \u201cAnd you won\u2019t, because you are basically auditioning for another position. We all know that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI will protect New Yorkers,\u201d Komatireddy said, \u201cwhether it\u2019s against President Trump or President AOC.\u201d<\/p>\n
If anything, Komatireddy tried to avoid using Trump\u2019s name, even mentioning more than once she worked under President Barack Obama.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve met President Trump once, for about 30 seconds. I said hello,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then he tweeted out that he was endorsing you,\u201d James said, \u201cbecause he recognizes that you won\u2019t stand up and you\u2019ll refuse to be a fighter.\u201d<\/p>\n
The candidates did set aside any grudges, at least long enough to exchange a handshake.<\/p>\n
It was their first and only meeting on a debate stage before voters go to the polls Nov. 3.<\/p>\n