US President Donald Trump voiced objections to New York Attorney General Letitia James’s (D) designation as special prosecutor overseeing the Cornell University sexual assault investigation, contending that individuals would be unable to receive impartial treatment under her leadership.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) selected James for this assignment. James has previously conducted investigations into Trump and initiated legal action against him, with both parties engaging in ongoing public disputes.
Trump rips Letitia James
“Letitia James is a corrupt person,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn en route to Alabama on Friday.
“I feel bad for whoever she’s looking at because they won’t get a fair shake,” he added.
Trump and Hochul have been engaged in an ongoing dispute that’s featured state legal actions challenging the administration’s policies, along with her decision to pursue fraud charges against the Trump administration.
Trump shared his thoughts just a few hours after the New York attorney general selected James for the position.
Kathy Hochul sends Cornell rape case to attorney general
Hochul expressed that she didn’t feel the district attorney had what it took to manage the situation.
“I stand ready to lead a process guided by the facts and the law. In the coming months, my office will dutifully carry out the responsibilities the governor has conferred upon us in this executive order. We will review the facts, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and, if warranted, pursue prosecutions,” James told media on Friday.
Trump’s statement comes as the most recent development in an ongoing investigation concerning the alleged gang rape that occurred at a campus fraternity in 2024.
Cornell rape case
A Cornell University sophomore at the time of the incident has filed a lawsuit against the university, the fraternity involved, her own sorority, and seven men she identifies as her attackers.
After examining the case, a local district attorney chose not to file charges. According to reporting by The New York Times, several of the men named in the lawsuit admitted to having sexual contact with the woman but claimed it was consensual.