ALBANY — City Public Advocate Letitia James has decided to run for state attorney general.
James began telling people of her plans in recent days, created a statewide campaign committee on Tuesday, and is set to hold a kickoff rally on Wednesday.
The Daily News first reported the plans Tuesday on its website.
James is not seeking to be appointed interim attorney general for the remainder of the year by the state Legislature, which Tuesday began two days of interviews with 12 potential candidates.
Instead, the public advocate, who in 2014 became the first woman of color to hold citywide office in New York City, decided to seek the nomination for attorney general at the state Democratic Party convention scheduled for May 23-24.
James’ office had no immediate comment.
Besides James, other potential candidates are former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who hasn’t ruled it out; Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who a source close to him said is moving closer toward a run; Fordham Law Prof. Zephyr Teachout, who created an exploratory committee this week; and state Sen. Michael Gianaris, of Queens.
Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Nassau County) announced she will seek reelection to Congress and not run for the attorney general’s job. And former city Councilman Dan Garodnick, who had been considering a run, is also likely out as he was named the head of the Riverside Park Conservancy.
Meanwhile, Assemblyman Joseph Lentol (D-Brooklyn), who is chairing the legislative screening panel, said it’s possible the body may not make a recommendation to the full Legislature until after the political conventions next week.
He and others on the panel bristled at those who insist they should simply leave acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood in the job.
Lentol said the screening panel is “completely unbowed” by arguments that Underwood automatically deserves the appointment, saying it will come down to who is best qualified.
Even so, those on the panel — and even those seeking the appointment — were full of praise for Underwood, who was elevated to acting Attorney General last week after Eric Schneiderman resigned from the post abruptly in the wake of a New York magazine article claiming he physically assaulted four women.
After her one hour before the panel, Underwood, in a bit of symbolism, met with reporters standing behind a podium containing the official seal of the attorney general’s office.
She said since being elevated from solicitor general to acting AG, she has spoken to Gov. Cuomo and legislative leaders.
She also said she spoke once to Schneiderman since he resigned.
“I believe I had one conversation about moving his things out of my office, what is now my office,” she said.
Among the others who interviewed for the job Tuesday were state Assemblymen Daniel O’Donnell (D-Manhattan) and Thomas Abinanti (D-Westchester County), former Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman, and Lloyd Constantine, a former top aide to disgraced Gov. Eliot Spitzer.
Leecia Eve, a one-time aide to Hillary Clinton, was supposed to interview but withdrew her name at the last minute, not long after The News reported that her law license was listed as delinquent by the state.
Six lesser known candidates are due to be interviewed Wednesday.
In New York City, a group of progressive advocates supporting actress Cynthia Nixon’s primary challenge against Cuomo ripped the governor for reportedly pressuring James not to take the Working Families line if she’s the candidate for attorney general.
“Gov. Cuomo consistently uses his power to stifle the voice of women of color and women in general,” said Zakiyah Ansari, of the Alliance for Quality Education.
Cuomo aides have vehemently denied the governor has threatened people not to take the line.
With Erin Durkin
