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The Intercept

3 Mar, 11 tweets, 2 min read

In 2003, Letitia “Tish” James shook the New York Democratic political establishment, becoming the first City Council candidate to win office solely as a nominee of the Working Families Party. interc.pt/3edWiAq

James spent the next 15 years as a leading voice for the city’s social movements.

In 2013, despite being vastly outspent, she won a tight race for New York City public advocate, a stepping stone to mayor.

Her close alliance with the city’s grassroots was considered by political observers to be both a benefit and an obstacle. James had people behind her, but she didn’t have money — and moving to the next level required lots of it.

When New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman was forced to resign amid a #MeToo scandal in 2018, James was quickly discussed as a potential successor. But could she raise the funds?

That’s where Andrew Cuomo came in.

Governor Cuomo, who was seeking his third term, was in the midst of a long-running feud with the organization that was so intimately linked with James’s rise, the WFP.

In April 2018, the WFP endorsed activist and actor Cynthia Nixon for the Democratic primary over Cuomo, who vowed to destroy the organization. Cuomo then turned his attention to James.

In May, Cuomo made James an excruciating offer: He would endorse her and open his donor network, but it would come at a price.

Not only would she have to endorse him, she would have to publicly refuse the support of the WFP. James took the deal.

@ryangrim

The election long since over, James owes Cuomo nothing. In fact, nobody could blame her for appreciating the opportunity to demonstrate — to him as much as to her detractors — that she was never for sale, writes @ryangrim.

In late January, James released a damning report on the state’s handling of Covid-19 in nursing homes, setting off Cuomo’s descent.

Cuomo, who built his base of power on fear, is now seeing it crumble beneath him as rivals reevaluate just how much ability he has to make good on past threats.

An independent investigation into sexual harassment claims against the governor will be overseen by none other than Tish James.

James was once at the mercy of Cuomo’s kingmaking power in New York. Now the tables have turned.

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