Letitia James Declines to Release Tax Returns, Says it was a Staff Decision

New York Attorney General Letitia James is not making her tax returns public, setting her apart from other top state Democrats who have recently released their filings for review.

While Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli have all made their income tax returns available to reporters this week, James has declined to do the same. Her decision comes as she continues to face scrutiny related to past allegations involving mortgage application disclosures, a case that was dismissed by a federal judge last year.

Asked about the decision during an event in Albany, James said the determination was not hers alone. She directed inquiries to her communications team and indicated that her staff would handle whether the documents were released.

Shortly after those remarks, her office confirmed that no tax returns would be made public. In a written statement, her communications director said the Attorney General’s office would not release the filings and instead pointed to the state’s required financial disclosure forms as an alternative source of information.

“We are not releasing the Attorney General’s tax returns," said Alexis Richards, James’ Communications Director. "All are welcome to review her annual financial disclosure when that is released."

Those disclosures, which are expected to be published next month, provide less detailed financial data than full tax returns.

The issue has drawn attention because of the contrast with other state leaders who have opted for transparency by sharing their returns. Reports reviewing those filings noted additional financial details about their income, including earnings from outside sources and overall household income levels.

Despite the growing focus on financial disclosures among state officials, James’ office has maintained its position.

Letitia James Declines to Release Tax Returns, Says it was a Staff Decision