Letitia James’ Cornell probe vow collides with aide’s misconduct claims

New York Attorney General Letitia James has pledged a full and fair investigation into alleged gang rape at Cornell University, a commitment that has drawn renewed scrutiny over her handling of misconduct allegations against her former chief of staff. The controversy resurfaced after New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed James as special prosecutor in October 2024 to investigate the Cornell case, a move prompted by the governor's loss of faith in the local district attorney's handling of the matter.

The renewed focus stems from a 2022 lawsuit filed by Sofia Quintanar, James' former deputy press secretary. Quintanar accused Ibrahim Khan, James' longtime chief of staff, of forcibly kissing her at a Brooklyn political fundraiser in November 2021. The lawsuit further alleged that James overlooked warning signs regarding Khan's conduct and allowed him to resign quietly while keeping his accuser uninformed about the investigation's progress. A New York judge dismissed the claims against James personally and her office in February 2025, a decision an appellate court upheld in May 2026.

Despite the legal dismissal, critics argue the prior allegations cast doubt on James' suitability for the Cornell investigation. Sam Antar, a New York-based fraud investigator, questioned the governor's choice on social media, asking if she had read Quintanar's lawsuit. "We're entitled to question James's handling of her own aide and your choice of James to restore public confidence," Antar wrote. Lattina Brown echoed these sentiments, asking where the support for Quintanar was, alleging she had been blacklisted.

James faces separate procedural challenges in the Cornell case itself. Andrew Miltenberg, an attorney for accused student Gillio Lopes, filed a petition on Oct. 7 requesting James' recusal. Miltenberg pointed to social media posts James made days before her appointment, in which she expressed solidarity with the alleged victim. "What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable," James posted on Sept. 28. Miltenberg argued these remarks raised concerns about her ability to independently evaluate evidence and determine if criminal charges were warranted.

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital that such public comments could complicate the investigation and potentially taint the jury pool if charges are filed. However, Rahmani acknowledged that James likely did not anticipate her appointment when making those remarks. A spokesperson for James countered that she has always taken such matters seriously and followed the law. Hochul defended her appointment decision during an Oct. 2 news conference, stating she had confidence in James to examine the record and draw proper conclusions.

The underlying litigation against Khan resulted in his resignation in November 2022 after an investigation substantiated the allegations. The appellate court allowed a federal civil rights claim against Khan and retaliation claims against him and James' re-election campaign to proceed, finding that Khan blocked Quintanar from obtaining a campaign job after she rejected his advances. The court dismissed claims against James, finding the lawsuit failed to sufficiently show she knew about Khan's alleged misconduct.

The lawsuit also referenced prior allegations by Angel Dubose, a former employee who stated she was drugged and sexually assaulted at a holiday party in 2014 during James' tenure as New York City's public advocate. Although a 2017 New York Post article linked Khan to the incident, the publication later retracted the report after Dubose could not identify her attacker. James stated she referred Dubose's allegations to law enforcement in 2017, and both the Manhattan district attorney's office and New York City's Department of Investigation closed their investigations without filing charges.