New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul has urged the Department of Justice to "stop targeting Democrats here in New York" amid a flurry of investigations into high-ranking past and present government officials of the Empire State.
During a press conference in Albany on Wednesday, Hochul was asked by a reporter if she thought the slew of investigations into high profile Democrat lawmakers were politically motivated. "Hell, yeah," Hochul answered.
"The question is when will [U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi] stop politicizing the Department of Justice and just do their jobs?" Hochul asked reporters.
On Tuesday, the Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over his responses to Republicans on his handling of the COVID-19 lockdowns.
In March, Cuomo announced his intention to run for mayor of New York City, taking on current Democrat Eric Adams who has fallen out of favor with the liberal establishment over his embrace of some of President Donald Trump's illegal immigration policies. Adams has since seen his own federal investigation dropped by Bondi's DOJ.
Last weekend, FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency is investigating current New York Attorney General Letitia James over past real estate transactions. The James case centers on whether she committed fraud on a mortgage application when she allegedly falsified records by claiming in writing that a Norfolk, Virginia, home she purchased with her niece in 2023 would be her "principal residence" while acting as attorney general for New York City.
"Pam Bondi, one of the first, I think she was a brand new attorney general, she stood up and said she's launching an investigation and bringing charges against me for a law we have in New York. Now she overstated it. She wasn't bringing charges, she was just filing civil litigation, so I had to point out her lack of understanding the law was very troubling," Hochul said Wednesday. "That being said, she came after me. They're coming after the attorney general. They're coming after a candidate for mayor."
Hochul's dig at Bondi is in reference to New York's Green Light Law that prevents federal immigration officials from accessing information the state's department of motor vehicles has on illegal aliens. In February, Bondi announced she was suing New York over its law that allows illegal immigrants to apply for driver's licenses without providing a Social Security number.
"I suggest [the DOJ] focus on the core mission and stop targeting Democrats here in New York," Hochul added.