1 / 2

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

FILE - New York State Attorney General Letitia James speaks during the New York State Democratic Convention in New York, Feb. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

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.”

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 res

See Full Page