New York state's most powerful Democrats have remained near silent on a horrific rape in Central Park, weeks after racing at breakneck speed to condemn the 'Cornell 7.'
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James previously faced criticism for speaking out on an alleged rape at Cornell University in 2024, after a civil lawsuit in September captured national headlines.
Despite authorities not bringing charges against the accused, James said at the time that the alleged victim endured 'horrific' abuse and branded her a 'survivor,' and Hochul then named her as special prosecutor in the case.
Both top Democrats were highly visible as the case made national headlines, which led to criticisms that they may preemptively influence the case.
Yet in the wake of a rape in Central Park on Saturday evening, the difference in approach has been clear.
Hochul told the New York Post on Sunday when asked for her response: 'All crimes are tragedies, and we are working hard with the NYPD to drive down every incident like this.
'It’s not acceptable. It’s not acceptable. People should feel safe when they go to our parks.'
Police said the rape involved a 39-year-old woman who was held at knifepoint on the intersection of East 67th Street and Fifth Avenue, one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Manhattan.
An at-large suspect led the woman into Central Park and attacked her, police said, with authorities releasing images of a hooded male wearing a black tracksuit and appealing to the public for information.
The woman was attacked on the steps of $10 million townhouses on Manhattan's Upper East Side, and retired NYPD inspector Paul Mauro said the rape was 'in an area where you would hope that people would feel safe.'
On Saturday night, a suspect (above) held a 39-year-old woman at knifepoint in Manhattan's Upper East Side and led her to Central Park to rape her before getting away, police said
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James previously faced criticism for speaking out on an alleged rape at Cornell University, as they were accused of biasing the investigation
In response to a request for comment on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Hochul told the Daily Mail: 'Governor Hochul has zero tolerance for sexual violence and expects that any individual who commits these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
'Since taking office, the Governor has funded law enforcement at record levels and strengthened laws to improve the state’s response to sexual assault and to ensure that any victim of this reprehensible crime has the support and protections they need to recover.
'Governor Hochul's top priority is public safety and she will always fight to support victims and survivors of sexual assault and other crimes -- full stop.'
In the wake of Saturday's attack in Central Park, police in New York said the victim was taken to hospital in 'stable condition.'
Authorities said it was the fifth reported rape in Central Park this year.
Mauro told Fox News that he could see a clear difference in the way Hochul and James have approached the case in Central Park, following the controversy surrounding the Cornell case.
'Let something hit the news like the Cornell case, and all of a sudden, they’re all over the media, and they’re on a soapbox, and they’re holding press conferences,' the retired cop said.
'We are less than 10 days away from an election, and that has to have a lot to do with it.'
Both Hochul and James are up for re-election on November 3, with polls showing both Democrats face stern challenges from Republicans Bruce Blakeman and Saritha Komatireddy, respectively.
Protests erupted on Cornell's campus after allegations of a gang rape at a fraternity sparked a media firestorm at the Ivy League university
Komatireddy, 42, laid into James for her handling of the Cornell case at their only debate earlier this month, accusing her of being a 'political hack' who biased the investigation.
The prosecutor said James had 'already screwed up' the case by 'prejudging it.'
Amid scrutiny on James's appointment as special prosecutor in the Cornell case, sources told the New York Post last week that she was planning to hire outside counsel to take on the investigation.
James has faced calls to recuse herself from the case for her remarks supporting the alleged victim, and sources said the Attorney General has approached multiple former federal prosecutors to take her place.
The Attorney General defended her past comments in her debate with Komatireddy, saying that her statements in support of the Cornell victim were merely to 'demonstrate empathy.'
However, while James has reportedly taken steps to walk back any appearance of bias, Hochul doubled down when pressed about her criticisms of the 'Cornell 7' at her own debate on October 15.
Hochul said she believed the victim was 'failed at every turn' by authorities, and when asked about the defendants requesting James be removed from the case, the governor insisted: 'I'm not prosecuting this case.'
'It seemed very clear that the boys in the fraternity are trying to cover up what they had done. A lot of acknowledgments, a lot of texts that are coming up,' she said at the debate.
'So I said this. I want there to be an independent investigation. That's underway. But also became clear to me that the district attorney had already denied the opportunity to interview this young woman.'
The Daily Mail has contacted James for comment.
