New York Attorney General Letitia James vowed to keep suing Donald Trump while claiming she is targeting “oligarchs,” according to remarks she delivered Friday in Puerto Rico.
James, who won re-election to a third four-year term on Tuesday, addressed supporters at the SOMOS political conference in San Juan. She did not mention the president by name, but framed her legal agenda around economic pressures facing ordinary residents.
“Mortgages are too high, interest rates are too high, car insurance is too high,” James said to applause.
“We’ve got to make sure all of the oligarchs that are at the top are imposing all of these high costs on New Yorkers and Americans,” she continued. “I’m excited to get back to work and to use the law — both as a sword and as a shield — and sue baby sue with all of you! God bless you and thank you.”
The “sue, baby, sue” line marked the latest salvo in a legal campaign that has made James one of Trump’s most persistent antagonists. She has reportedly filed more than 70 lawsuits against Trump, his administration and his businesses since taking office in 2019.
James did secure a $454 million civil judgment against Trump’s business for allegedly inflating its value, though a state appeals court overturned that decision last year.
Gov. Kathy Hochul also appeared at the SOMOS conference, speaking Saturday at the annual Labor Breakfast. She promoted her pledge to expand universal childcare statewide by 2028, citing existing investments.
“I’ve already invested $12 billion in child care — $4.5 billion this year alone — but I have made a commitment. I want a fully universal 4-K program across the state of New York by 2028,” Hochul said.
Hochul’s childcare push comes as she faces mounting pressure from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and progressive allies to raise taxes following Democrats’ strong midterm showing. Mamdani was also present at the Saturday breakfast.
During her remarks, Hochul attempted a joke about retaining a young family in New York rather than losing them to Philadelphia. The moment quickly went sideways.
“I said, why do you want to go to Philadelphia? You like the Knicks better or something?” Hochul recounted. “I don’t understand. You don’t like the Knicks? You like Lebron James? I don’t understand. I don’t understand. Thank you. The Knicks are here. But he said he wanted to, but they couldn’t afford the rent and childcare on top of it.”
Both Hochul and Mamdani declined to speak with media members after the breakfast concluded.
James’s Friday remarks came at the same Puerto Rico gathering where Hochul would appear the following day, tying together two of New York’s most prominent Democratic officials at a moment of ascendant progressive energy in the state.