NY Democrats Block Gov. Hochul’s Pick for Top Judge for Being Too Conservative

New York Gov. Kathy Hochu gives a speech at her inauguration ceremony in Albany, N.Y. on Jan. 1, 2023, in a still from video. New York Governor's Office/Screenshot via NTD

A New York state Senate committee has deemed Gov. Kathy Hochul’s nominee unfit to lead the state’s highest court, saying that the Democrat is not progressive enough for the job.

In a 10–9 vote, the progressive wing of the Senate Judiciary Committee successfully torpedoed Hochul’s nomination of Hector LaSalle to lead the New York State Court of Appeals. Three Democrats joined their Republican colleagues in supporting LaSalle’s bid to become the first Hispanic to hold that position.