Hochul faces firestorm from Democrats refusing to support Judge Hector LaSalle to lead New York Court of Appeals
NEW YORK -- A political firestorm has erupted over Gov. Kathy Hochul's nominee to lead the state's top court.
Judge Hector LaSalle is facing heat from progressive Democrats who argue he's too moderate, but Hochul is digging in her heels.
Just days after being inaugurated as the first woman elected governor of New York, Hochul faced her first big test in trying to convince the state senate not to reject her nominee to head the New York Court of Appeals.
"There is an individual named Hector LaSalle, who has had to endure character assassination like I've never seen," said Hochul.
Hochul was on the offensive at a predominantly Hispanic church on the Lower East Side seeking community support for LaSalle, who would be the first Latino to head the state's top court.
It's an uphill battle because progressive in the state senate, which must approve the nomination, are dead set against him. LaSalle is a former prosecutor and they want someone who is more of a civil rights activist.
"My problem is he seems to be an agent of the status quo," said Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris, a Democrat from Queens. "We have a four-judge block on that court that has been taking it to the right, ruling against tenants, against workers, creating all sorts of decisions that are counter to what New Yorkers would prefer."
Gianaris, leading the charge against LaSalle, pointed to a small number of the thousands of cases LaSalle has been associated with as the chief judge of the Appellate Division in Brooklyn, which he believes are too conservative.
"The fact is, the court has not faced the scrutiny it needed over the years. We are doing that now," said Gianaris.
Former Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals Jonathan Lippman said what the senate is doing goes against the merit selection of judges and improperly politicizes the process.
"I think it's character distortion. It's an ambush on something that, again, is not appropriate for how you look at a judicial candidate. You want to look at the total record. You want to look at all of their decisions," said Lippman.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on LaSalle's appointment on Wednesday. Hochul indicated she will go to court if the committee refuses to allow the entire senate to vote.