A New York state judge is hearing arguments on whether Attorney General Letitia James should be removed as special prosecutor in the Cornell University rape investigation. One accused man, Gillio Lopes, petitioned to void Gov. Kathy Hochul's appointment, citing James's Sept. 28 social media post saying “We stand with you” to the accuser. A second defendant, Winston Lee, also seeks removal. No criminal charges have been filed.
Hochul appointed James after saying she had lost faith in the Tompkins County district attorney, who had earlier concluded the allegations could not support criminal charges. Defense attorneys argue James's post showed bias and a presumption of guilt; the attorney general's office says it was a single empathetic remark and courts have limited authority to review such appointments.
One man accused in the Cornell rape lawsuit asked a judge to remove New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor, citing her Sept. 28 social media post saying “We stand with you” to the accuser. A hearing was set for Oct. 29. This is an opinion/sentiment about Isha Ambani's speech at a Jio IPO-related event, not a verifiable factual claim. Subjective praise of Reliance's long-term vision; no factual assertion to check. Opinion/sentiment about Isha Ambani's speech; text includes a typo and no verifiable claim.
There is no evidence Nancy Pelosi is attempting to corner the ice cream market or has turned her ice cream collection into a multibillion-dollar commodities operation. This appears to be satire or fabrication, referencing old criticism of her freezer and the 1980 Hunt brothers silver scheme.
BA man accused in that Cornell fraternity rape case wants New York's attorney general thrown off the investigation because of one social media post.
AThe post said "We stand with you" to the accuser. Now the defense says that's proof of bias.
BThree words, and suddenly the prosecutor can't be trusted? I don't know, Adam. There's something real here about appearances.
AHold on, "appearances" is doing a lot of work. The question is whether a single empathetic message from an elected official actually taints the whole investigation.
BIf the attorney general has already decided who she believes before seeing any evidence, then yes, that's a problem. Due process isn't a technicality.
ABut she hasn't said she believes the accused are guilty. She said she stands with someone who says she was assaulted. Those are different things.
BIn a criminal investigation, they're not that different. The AG's office is supposed to be neutral, not picking sides on day one.
AWhich is exactly what the judge will decide. Gillio Lopes and Winston Lee are both trying to get her removed.
BTheir lawyers say she's "unquestionably biased." Strong words for a prosecutor.
AThey're also pointing to how she got the job. Governor Hochul said she lost faith in the local district attorney, so she brought in Letitia James.
BRight. And that DA had already concluded the allegations couldn't support criminal charges. Hochul didn't like that, so she replaced him with someone more aggressive.
AWhich is itself a problem for the defense. They say the fix was in from the start.
BIt does look like prosecutor shopping. You don't get to swap in a new AG because you don't like the first one's answer.
ABut courts have very limited authority to review these appointments. The judge might not even have the power to remove her, even if he thinks the post was a mistake.
BThen what's the remedy? Just let an AG with a public bias run the investigation? That's a terrible precedent, no matter who the defendant is.
AThe remedy is supposed to be the AG's internal ethics. Her spokesperson says the office is committed to "nothing but the facts, the evidence, and the law."
BAnd James says the post showed empathy, not a verdict. But you can understand why the defense sees that as a presumption of guilt.
AI can. But there's a real danger on the other side: if every elected prosecutor who expresses sympathy for an alleged victim gets recused, no politician could ever take a case.
BThat's fair. Maybe one post shouldn't be enough. But this isn't just any case. No charges have been filed, and the local DA already said there wasn't enough evidence.
AExactly, and defense lawyers are calling that a political do-over. Andrew Miltenberg says James "formed an opinion" and "already reached the conclusion" that the defendants are guilty.
BThat's a serious accusation against the state's chief law enforcement officer. Teny Geragos is making the same case, and that's the part I'd watch.
AAnd the AG's office says those are just words, and that the actual review will follow the evidence. The hearing is set for October 29.
BI'd bet on James staying. Courts hate telling governors they picked the wrong person.
AProbably. But whatever the outcome, this is a mess for everyone involved.
ADifferent world entirely: on X, a couple of accounts are posting very soft-serve takes about the Jio IPO.
BSoft-serve? What are they saying, the Ambanis built a lasting legacy?
AOne says Reliance's story shows how long-term vision and determination build a multi-generational legacy. Another says Isha Ambani's speech added warmth to the occasion.
BThat's not analysis, that's a wedding toast. The Jio IPO could be one of India's biggest listings, and people are writing greeting cards.
AExactly my point. The sentimental posts tell you nothing about what the listing is actually worth or when it's happening.
BRight. Reliance Jio dominates Indian telecom, and an IPO there would be a major event. But if your only source is X, you'd think the story is about how nice the speech was.
AIt's a reminder that hype doesn't equal due diligence, even in the world's fastest-growing markets.
BTrue. And the actual numbers will matter a lot more than the vibes.