A Republican-aligned Super PAC supporting gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman and funded by Knicks owner James Dolan is preparing to pour substantial resources into the attorney general’s race, The Post has learned.
Strong and Safe New York is backing Republican AG nominee Saritha Komatireddy in her challenge to two-term Democratic incumbent Letitia James. The group is rolling out suburban billboards highlighting Komatireddy’s focus on public safety and security.
The billboards are slated to appear across Long Island, Westchester County’s northern suburbs and Rockland County as part of a “seven-figure investment” in Komatireddy’s campaign, according to a spokesperson for the group.
“New York finally has a chance to restore safety and security by electing Saritha Komatireddy as the next Attorney General,” Strong and Safe New York spokesperson Carson Steelman said.
Steelman accused Gov. Kathy Hochul and AG Letitia James of pursuing “soft-on-crime policies” and placing political ambitions ahead of public safety. “Crime continues to stay above pre-COVID levels, homelessness continues to plague Manhattan, and hate crimes continue to skyrocket,” he said.
Strong and Safe New York has primarily focused on helping Blakeman challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. The PAC is funded by Dolan, retired casino mogul Steve Wynn and other donors.
Komatireddy, 42, a former federal prosecutor, has drawn increased attention since performing strongly in last week’s NY1/Spectrum News debate. She pressed James on the incumbent’s support for the controversial cashless bail law, as well as her record on combating antisemitic hate crimes and Medicaid fraud.
While serving as a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York, Komatireddy handled high-profile cases involving international terrorism, cybercrime, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, fraud and foreign public corruption. Her prosecutions included terrorists connected to al Qaeda and ISIS, along with members of Mexican drug cartels.
She later served as chief of staff at the Drug Enforcement Administration and began her legal career clerking for then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh on the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, before he joined the US Supreme Court.
Komatireddy earned degrees from Harvard College and Harvard Law School and teaches at Columbia Law School.
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The Super PAC’s spokesperson said Komatireddy brings “the experience, leadership and vision” needed to improve safety across New York.
“She has spent her life protecting New York from criminals, terrorists, and drug cartels, proving she has the backbone to take on the tough fights,” Steelman said. “Strong and Safe New York is proud to endorse Komatireddy for her next fight of restoring public safety and rooting out corruption as the state’s next Attorney General. As Saritha says, ‘if New York isn’t safe, nothing else matters.’”
James’ campaign rejected the PAC’s backing of Komatireddy and sought to tie the Republican candidate to President Trump.
“Saritha Komatireddy is Donald Trump’s handpicked candidate, and now his deep-pocketed allies are bankrolling her campaign,” a spokesperson for James’ campaign said. “New Yorkers deserve an Attorney General who answers to them, not to Trump’s billionaire cronies.”
Komatireddy faces an uphill battle against James in heavily Democratic New York. The state has 6 million registered Democrats and 2.8 million registered Republicans, according to active enrollment data from the state Board of Elections. Another 3.4 million active voters are not affiliated with a political party.
The last Republican to win a statewide election in New York was former Gov. George Pataki in 2002.
James, 67, has gained national prominence through her prosecution of President Trump and the Trump Organization over alleged fraudulent practices, as well as through multiple lawsuits against the administration.
She also commissioned a sexual misconduct investigation into former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, an inquiry that contributed to his resignation in 2021. Cuomo denied wrongdoing.
Before becoming attorney general, James served as New York City’s public advocate and represented Brooklyn as a City Council member.
New York’s attorney general earns $220,000 annually and serves a four-year term.
Election Day is Nov. 3.
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