Highlights from the meeting with NYS Attorney General Letitia James:
Taking on the powerful in defense of those who are vulnerable and marginalized and left out of the sunshine of opportunity. That’s what I do every day. It’s my reason for living. -Tish James
The meeting was held at the Hoag Library, and Tish began by sharing her love of libraries. She visited us to share her perspective on NYS and the importance of visiting each county in the state. Letitia also recognized the hard work and sacrifices made by local elected officials.
Letitia launched right into the ways her office is using litigation to protect our rights and keep our families safe. Examples included:
Pharmaceutical companies contributing to the ongoing drug crises
Drug enforcement including related illegal weapon recovery
According to the NYS AG, the biggest drug threats in NYS right now are fentanyl and xylazine.
Fentanyl is a prescription drug that is lethal and illegal to purchase, and does respond to naloxone (NARCAN). Xylazine is legal to purchase as it is an animal tranquilizer, it is also lethal and it does not respond to treatment in cases of overdose. Letitia described the challenges that the legal and medical communities are facing trying to mitigate the dangers of xylazine.
Tish underlined her support for hunting, sharing how she hunted with her father in her youth.
We learned that there is a coalition of Attorney Generals, which includes all parties. Traditionally NYS has not participated, and our AG is proud to not only participate but lead in those spaces.
Letitia James, in her fight to protect youth and seniors, highlighted her lawsuit against the owners of The Villages, which we’re all aware of.
Over 1,700 employees in 16 offices across the state, consisting of 800 attorneys, investigators, detectives, and one economist to keep the AG informed of the economy.
Tish said she wakes up every day with a fire in her belly.
We’re lucky to have her as our AG. As she put it, “everyone calls me Tish,” so we want to say THANK YOU TISH for taking the time to come and meet with us. Her Q&A after her speech was full of warm and relatable communication, and it was clear she is going to continue working for the better of us all, not just the cities.