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Who Appointed Letitia James? Understanding How She Became New York Attorney General
If you have searched for “who appointed Letitia James,” you may be starting with a common misunderstanding about how New York’s attorney general is selected. Letitia James did not become attorney general because a governor appointed her to the permanent position. She won the office through the electoral process in 2018 and took office in January 2019.
The question of who appointed Letitia James is especially interesting because New York had an unusual transition in the attorney general’s office before her term began. Eric Schneiderman resigned in 2018, and Barbara Underwood was appointed by the state Legislature to serve as attorney general for the remainder of that period. James then ran for the office and was elected by New York voters.
Understanding who appointed Letitia James requires separating two different events: the temporary appointment of Barbara Underwood and James’s later election. That distinction explains why some online discussions can make the history sound more complicated than it really is.
Who Appointed Letitia James to Become Attorney General?
So, who appointed Letitia James? The short answer is: no one appointed her to her elected term as New York attorney general. She was elected by New York voters in the 2018 general election. The New York State Board of Elections lists James as the Democratic, Working Families, and Independence candidate in that election, alongside candidates from other parties. She was subsequently sworn in as the state’s 67th attorney general on January 1, 2019.
The official attorney general’s office describes James as the 67th Attorney General of New York and notes that she has served in the role since taking office in 2019. Her path to statewide office followed years of elected and legal work in New York City. Before becoming attorney general, she served as New York City Public Advocate and represented Brooklyn on the City Council.
This background matters when considering who appointed Letitia James because her career was built through a combination of elections and public-service positions rather than a single gubernatorial appointment. In 2013, she was elected Public Advocate, becoming the first woman of colour to hold a citywide elected position in New York City. Before that, she spent ten years on the City Council and had also worked as a public defender and assistant attorney general.
What Happened Before James Took Office?
To fully understand who appointed Letitia James, it helps to look at the 2018 vacancy. Then-Attorney General Eric Schneiderman resigned in May 2018. Because the office needed someone to serve until the next election, the New York State Legislature appointed Barbara Underwood as attorney general. Underwood became the first woman to hold the statewide position.
That temporary appointment is sometimes confused with James’s later arrival. Underwood served during the remainder of 2018, while James was campaigning for the elected position. The distinction is important: Underwood was appointed to fill the vacancy, whereas James was chosen by voters in the November 2018 election.
The timeline also explains why questions about who appointed Letitia James sometimes mention Governor Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo was governor when Underwood was appointed, but the official record identifies the State Legislature as the body that appointed Underwood. James herself was not appointed by Cuomo to become attorney general. She won the office in the election and was sworn in at the start of 2019.
The distinction between an appointment and an election is more than a technical detail. An appointment can occur when an office becomes vacant, while an election determines who receives the mandate for the next elected term. In James’s case, these two processes happened within the same year, which is why the sequence can be easy to misunderstand when the events are summarised without dates.
How Was Letitia James Elected in 2018?
Another useful part of understanding who appointed Letitia James is reviewing the election itself. James competed in the Democratic primary in September 2018 against Zephyr Teachout, Sean Patrick Maloney, and Leecia R. Eve. She then appeared on the November general-election ballot against candidates representing several other parties.
The New York State Board of Elections records the November 6, 2018 contest for attorney general and lists James as the Democratic, Working Families, and Independence candidate. Election results, rather than a gubernatorial appointment, determined who would hold the office for the new term.
This is also why who appointed Letitia James is not quite the same question as who selected a person to temporarily occupy the office. New York’s political system can involve appointments when a vacancy occurs, but an attorney general serving a full elected term can reach office through a statewide election. James’s 2018 victory placed her in that latter category.
For readers researching the history of the office, the election record provides a useful primary source because it separates the candidates, election date, and office being contested. It also helps avoid relying on simplified descriptions that may blur the difference between the person who temporarily filled a vacancy and the person subsequently elected to the position.
What Did James Do Before Becoming Attorney General?
The answer to who appointed Letitia James becomes clearer when her earlier career is considered. She had already built a substantial public-service record before seeking statewide office. According to the New York Attorney General’s Office, she began her career as a public defender with the Legal Aid Society and later became an assistant attorney general in New York.
James was elected to the New York City Council in 2003, representing Brooklyn’s 35th Council District. During her time on the council, she worked on housing and other city policy issues. Her experience in municipal government gave her a long history of dealing with legislation, agencies, constituents, and public accountability before she sought a statewide position.
She was then elected New York City Public Advocate in 2013. The attorney general’s official biography says she became the first woman of colour to hold a citywide elected office in New York City. This sequence—legal work, City Council service, Public Advocate, and then statewide election—shows that who appointed Letitia James is really a question about distinguishing appointment from election.
Her earlier positions also help explain why the attorney general role was a continuation of an established public career rather than an unexpected appointment. Before seeking statewide office, she had experience in legal advocacy, local legislation, constituent services, and oversight of government agencies. Those positions gave voters a substantial public record to consider during the 2018 campaign.
Why the Appointment Question Still Comes Up
There are several reasons why who appointed Letitia James continues to appear in searches. One is the 2018 transition itself. Schneiderman’s resignation created a vacancy, Underwood was appointed to serve temporarily, and James was elected later that year. When those events are compressed into a single sentence, it can sound as though the person who filled the vacancy and the person who won the next election were the same.
Governors and attorneys general often work closely together, especially on state investigations, legislation, and law enforcement matters. That working relationship can lead people to assume that the governor selected the attorney general. In James’s case, however, the official election record and state attorney general’s records show that she entered the office through election.
The simplest answer to who appointed Letitia James, therefore, is that she was not appointed to her elected term. New York voters elected her in 2018, and she took the oath of office on January 1, 2019. Barbara Underwood’s separate appointment earlier in 2018 is the key historical detail that prevents the two events from being mixed together.
Looking at the chronology also makes the issue easier to understand. Schneiderman left office, Underwood stepped in through a legislative appointment, the statewide election took place in November, and James was sworn in at the beginning of the following year. Four separate milestones, one office, and just enough political paperwork to make the internet suspicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who appointed Letitia James as New York attorney general?
No governor appointed James to her elected term. She won the 2018 New York attorney general election and was sworn in on January 1, 2019.
Was Letitia James appointed by Andrew Cuomo?
No. Cuomo was governor during the 2018 transition, but James became attorney general after winning the statewide election. Barbara Underwood, not James, was appointed to fill the vacancy created by Schneiderman’s resignation.
Who was attorney general before Letitia James?
Eric Schneiderman was attorney general before the 2018 vacancy. After his resignation, Barbara Underwood served as attorney general until James took office in January 2019.
When did Letitia James become attorney general?
James officially took office on January 1, 2019, after being sworn in as New York’s 67th attorney general.
Was Letitia James elected before becoming attorney general?
Yes. She won the 2018 general election for New York attorney general. Her previous elected position was New York City Public Advocate, which she won in 2013.
