In her first public remarks since being federally indicted, New York Attorney General Letitia James took the stage at a campaign rally in Washington Heights with unmistakable resolve and force. She used the moment not just to reassure supporters but to frame her legal troubles as part of a broader battle over democracy and justice. At the rally in support of mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, she decried what she called attempts to “silence truth” and “weaponize justice for political gain,” urging New Yorkers not to stand by quietly.

James, who faces charges including bank fraud and false statements tied to her purchase of a Virginia home, was greeted by thunderous applause and chants of “We love Tish.”  She declared repeatedly, “I will not bow. I will not break. I will not bend. I will not capitulate. I will not give in. I will not give up,” challenging her critics to go “through all of us” if they intend to take her down.

Though she didn’t mention former President Trump by name, much of her rhetoric was directed at what she called his influence over the justice system. She warned that democracy is under strain, asserting that powerful voices are trying to punish dissent through legal means. The indictment against James alleges she misrepresented a property’s status to receive favorable mortgage terms, a charge she has strongly denied as baseless and politically motivated.

James is scheduled to appear in federal court in Virginia on October 24. Under New York law, a conviction on felony charges would require her to vacate the attorney general’s office. Her rally performance, however, suggested she is prepared to fight hard for her reputation and political future — and to make her legal saga a rallying cry in her ongoing campaign.