WASHINGTON – The coalition of New York NAACP chapters had just begun its annual state convention when Letitia James, a longtime member and the state's attorney general, canceled her appearance.

James had just been indicted by the Justice Department for alleged mortgage fraud , a charge which she called “baseless” and “a grave violation of our constitutional order.”

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For the New York convention's organizers, the moment was alarming and underscored the gathering's importance, which featured multiple sessions on building political power at the state level in response to what NAACP leaders called federal attacks on social welfare, civil rights and the rule of law.

“It was through our collective action that a democracy was built,” said NAACP New York State Conference Pr

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