New York State Attorney General Letitia James will be the first person incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani will see once he officially takes office on January 1.
Mamdani, who cruised to victory over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Siwa in November, will then have a ceremonial swearing-in at a New Year’s Day block party overseen by his fellow Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders. NBC New York was the first to report news of Sanders’ involvement in the proceedings.
“It is an honor to be sworn in by two leaders I have admired for years: Attorney General Tish James and Senator Bernie Sanders. Attorney General James has taken on powerful interests in her defense of New Yorkers and embodied the principle of equal justice before the law,” Mamdani said in a statement.
He added, “Senator Bernie Sanders laid the foundations for our movement with his steadfast commitment to the dignity of working people and his belief in a government that serves the many, not just the few. I can think of no better leaders to help usher in a new era for New York City.”
James was among Mamdani’s most prominent endorsements, as many New York-based politicians on the state and federal levels were leery of lending their support to the progressive candidate. Although she ranked him third during rank choice voting in the early primary this summer, James threw her support behind Mamdani as the general election approached. The two stood side-by-side in a news conference shortly after James was indicted on federal fraud charges.
The case against her has been dismissed multiple times.
“He is a leader fighting for a better future for this city, and he, like me, knows what it’s like to be attacked, to be called names, to be threatened, to be harassed,” James said at the time.
Mamdani gave equal praise to James.
“New Yorkers know Attorney General James for who she is: a champion for justice who fights relentlessly for the people. Donald Trump knows her only as an obstacle to his corruption,” he said. “No one should be surprised that Donald Trump is employing fascist tactics—prosecuting his opponents, weaponizing the federal government, and attacking the very fabric of our democracy.”
