Zephyr Teachout wins the New York Times's endorsement for Attorney General of New York State

Zephyr Teachout (previously) is a netroots pioneer, a leading competition law scholar, and a progressive candidate for the Democratic nomination for Attorney General of New York State.


In an editorial endorsing Teachout for the nomination, the New York Times Editorial Board describes the job of NY AG as "the most important choice facing New York voters this fall," because the NY AG will play such an important role in holding the Trump administration — with all its Wall Street financial crimes — to account, even if the corrupt and shambolic federal Department of Justice hands Trump and Co literal get-of-jail-free cards (even the president can't pardon people convicted of state crimes).


Teachout is a hero of mine. I have endorsed every one of her political campaigns, and donated consistently once I got my Green Card and with it, the right to make US political contributions.


I just sent her $50 more in honor of the nomination. I hope you'll join me in supporting her. She is a remarkable woman, and if she is also the first woman elected to the office of New York Attorney General, it will mark a turning point in the nation.


These are not the best of times. With the right leadership, the office could serve as a firewall if President Trump pardons senior aides, dismisses the special counsel, Robert Mueller, or attacks the foundations of state power. Only a handful of American institutions are equipped to resist such assaults on constitutional authority, and the New York attorney general’s office, with 650 lawyers and a history of muscular law enforcement, is one of them.

The next attorney general will have a full docket in New York as well. Albany has long been a chamber of ethical horrors. In March, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s former senior aide Joseph Percoco was convicted on corruption charges. In May, former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, was also convicted of corruption. In July, the former Republican Senate majority leader, Dean Skelos, was convicted of bribery, extortion and conspiracy. Prosecutors said he used his office to pressure businesses to pay his son $300,000 for no-show jobs. The same month, Alain Kaloyeros, a key figure behind Mr. Cuomo’s “Buffalo Billion” economic initiative, was convicted in a bid-rigging scheme.

Zephyr Teachout Is the Right Choice as Attorney General for Democrats [New York Times Editorial Board/New York Times]