Quinn says James should have declined the Cornell assignment
James QuinnFormer senior Queens prosecutor
Quinn argues that Hochul should not have selected James after her public comments and says James should have recused herself or declined the case. He says hiring an independent lawyer is the only thing to do.
“It’s one mistake after another”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Was Kathy Hochul right to appoint Letitia James as special prosecutor in the Cornell case?
Governor Kathy Hochul appoints Attorney General Letitia James to investigate the alleged October 2024 sexual assault at Cornell and pursue prosecution if warranted. Hochul says an independent investigation is needed after questions about the campus police and local district attorney's handling. John Ziegler denounces the appointment, while Benjamin Ryan questions whether James's earlier public statement compromises her impartiality.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Original reporting quotes critics and spokespeople on the search for outside counsel. The office confirms a search and discussions, not a completed appointment.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The report attributes to Quinn the view that James should have recused herself or declined the appointment.
After the quotation
He also supports using an independent lawyer at this stage.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Quinn explicitly criticizes the appointment and James's decision to accept it.
- Recorded on
- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseSmoker says James is following the facts and accuses Komatireddy of playing politics
“It doesn’t get any lower than that. Attorney General James is focused on following the facts and the law. Our opponent should try to do the same.”Read statement
Richards says James's office remains committed to an independent Cornell investigation
“Since then, OAG has spoken with the Tompkins County District Attorney, Jane Doe’s attorney, and several candidates for outside counsel to support the investigation. The DA has agreed to cooperate, and OAG remains committed to a thorough and independent investigation guided only by the facts and the law.”Read statement
Komatireddy says James's search for outside counsel shows she is unqualified
“is not qualified to prosecute this case and not qualified to be the attorney general of this state.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Quinn says James should have declined the Cornell assignment
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/6925-quinn-argues-that-hochul-should-not-have-selected
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Quinn says James should have declined the Cornell assignment". First published: 2026-10-27. Last updated: 2026-10-27. https://disputeindex.com/events/6925-quinn-argues-that-hochul-should-not-have-selected