Steve Cortes, president and founder of the League of American Workers, said that Senator Mark Kelly’s defense of New York Attorney General Letitia James reveals a double standard in America’s justice system. He suggested that elites are shielded while ordinary citizens face consequences. The statement was made to Grand Canyon Times.
“Every time an insider shields another insider, a little piece of the Republic dies,” said Cortes. “Mark Kelly isn’t defending the rule of law, he’s defending the ruling class. The rest of us would be in handcuffs. They get a hashtag and a defense fund. Disgusting.”
In October 2025, Senator Mark Kelly publicly defended New York Attorney General Letitia James following her federal indictment on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. According to Kelly, the prosecution was politically motivated retaliation by the administration against a state official who had previously investigated President Trump. His statement highlighted a growing national debate over whether justice is being applied evenly across political lines.
A 2024 Gallup survey found that 72% of Americans believe political leaders and elites are treated differently under the law compared to average citizens. The data reflects increasing frustration with perceived double standards in the justice system and bipartisan concern that institutions are being used to protect those in power rather than hold them accountable.
Polling from Arizona Public Opinion Pulse in mid-2024 showed that 68% of Arizona voters agree that “politicians and insiders play by different rules.” These results underscore widespread distrust in political institutions within Senator Kelly’s own state, where voters consistently express skepticism toward insider protection and selective justice.
C-SPAN lists Steve Cortes as the founder (president) of the League of American Workers and a former Trump campaign adviser. In a Washington Journal segment, C-SPAN identifies him as “founder of the League of American Workers and a former Trump campaign adviser,” appearing to discuss campaign and voter dynamics.
