Letitia James facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Letitia James
|
|
|---|---|
James in 2020
|
|
| 67th Attorney General of New York | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2019 |
|
| Governor | Andrew Cuomo Kathy Hochul |
| Preceded by | Barbara Underwood |
| 4th Public Advocate of New York City | |
| In office January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2018 |
|
| Preceded by | Bill de Blasio |
| Succeeded by | Corey Johnson (acting) |
| Member of the New York City Council from the 35th district |
|
| In office January 1, 2004 – December 31, 2013 |
|
| Preceded by | James Davis |
| Succeeded by | Laurie Cumbo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Letitia Ann James
October 18, 1958 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Lehman College (BA) Howard University (JD) Columbia University (MPA) |
Letitia Ann "Tish" James (born October 18, 1958) is an American lawyer and politician. Since 2019, she has served as the Attorney General of New York. The Attorney General is the top lawyer for the state government.
James is a member of the Democratic Party. She made history as the first African American and the first woman to be elected as New York's Attorney General.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, James became a lawyer after graduating from Howard University. She started her career as a public defender, a lawyer who helps people who cannot afford one. She later worked for the New York State government.
Before becoming Attorney General, James was a member of the New York City Council from 2004 to 2013. Then, from 2013 to 2018, she was the New York City Public Advocate. A Public Advocate is an elected official who acts as a watchdog for the people of the city.
Contents
Growing Up and Going to School
Letitia Ann James was born in Brooklyn, New York, on October 18, 1958. She was one of eight children. She grew up in the Park Slope neighborhood and went to public schools, including Fort Hamilton High School.
For college, she went to Lehman College in the Bronx, where she studied liberal arts and social work. She graduated in 1981.
After college, James decided to study law. She earned her law degree, called a Juris Doctor or JD, from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C., in 1987. In 1989, she was officially allowed to practice law in New York. Later, in 2013, she earned a Master's degree in Public Administration from Columbia University.
Starting Her Career in Law and Politics
James began her career as a public defender for the Legal Aid Society. She also helped create the Urban Network, a group that gave scholarships to young people in the city.
She later worked for several important political figures in New York. In 1999, she was appointed as the first Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Brooklyn office. In this role, she focused on helping consumers who were treated unfairly by businesses.
First Run for City Council
In 2001, James ran for a seat on the New York City Council but did not win. In 2003, the councilman, James E. Davis, died unexpectedly. His brother ran for the seat, but James won the election on November 4, 2003. She ran as a member of the Working Families Party.
Serving on the New York City Council
James was the first member of the Working Families Party to win an election in New York State. She later rejoined the Democratic Party. She was re-elected to the council in 2005 and 2009.
During her time on the council, James worked on many issues. She questioned the high costs of a new city payroll system called CityTime. Her questions helped lead to an investigation that found problems with the project.
She also worked to help her community. For example, she helped the owner of a famous building called the Broken Angel House after it was damaged in a fire. She also fought to make sure new building projects, like City Point in Brooklyn, were good for the environment and the community.
Her Committee Roles
As a council member, James was in charge of several committees, including:
- Committee on Economic Development
- Committee on Sanitation
She also served on committees for parks, small businesses, technology, and more.
Working as the Public Advocate
In 2013, James decided to run for New York City Public Advocate. She won the Democratic Party's nomination and then won the general election. This made her the first African-American woman to hold a citywide office in New York City.
As Public Advocate, her job was to make sure the city government was working for the people. She was re-elected in 2017 with 77% of the vote.
Becoming New York's Attorney General
In 2018, James ran for Attorney General of New York. She won the Democratic primary and was elected on November 6, 2018. She became the first woman and first African American to hold this important job in New York.
James was sworn in on January 1, 2019. In 2021, she briefly ran for governor of New York but decided to run for re-election as Attorney General instead. She won her re-election campaign in November 2022.
Her Work as Attorney General
_(1).jpg)
As Attorney General, James has been involved in many important investigations and lawsuits.
Lawsuit Against the NRA
In August 2020, James filed a lawsuit against the National Rifle Association of America (NRA). She accused the organization's leaders of misusing money that was meant for charity. In February 2024, a jury agreed that the NRA had mismanaged funds. The jury said that top executives, including CEO Wayne LaPierre, had to pay back millions of dollars to the organization.
Investigation into COVID-19 in Nursing Homes
In 2020, her office began looking into how nursing homes in New York handled the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, her office released a report. It said that the state's Department of Health had not counted all the deaths that occurred in nursing homes. This report led to further investigations by the FBI.
Report on Governor Cuomo's Conduct
On August 3, 2021, James's office released a report about Governor Andrew Cuomo. The report found that he had behaved inappropriately toward several women. This report led to Governor Cuomo leaving his office.
Lawsuit Against The Trump Organization
In 2022, James filed a civil lawsuit against The Trump Organization. A civil lawsuit is a legal case that deals with disagreements between people or organizations, usually about money. The lawsuit accused the company and its leaders, including former president Donald Trump, of financial wrongdoing.
On February 16, 2024, a judge ruled in favor of James's office. The judge ordered Trump and his company to pay a fine of more than $355 million. The judge also temporarily stopped Trump from running any business in New York. This decision has been appealed, which means a higher court will review it.
Recent Events
In early 2025, James was involved in several legal and political matters. President Trump announced he was revoking her security clearance, a decision her office said did not affect her work. The Department of Justice also filed a lawsuit against James and other New York officials over immigration issues.
Additionally, a federal agency raised questions about information on some of her past mortgage applications. James called the claims "baseless" and suggested they were a form of political payback.
Personal Life
James lives in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. She is a member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church. She has never been married.
See also
In Spanish: Letitia James para niños
- Joe Biden Supreme Court candidates
- List of female state attorneys general in the United States
