New York State Senate rejects Hector LaSalle as Chief Judge of the State Court of Appeals
NEW YORK -- Gov. Kathy Hochul suffered a big political defeat Wednesday as the state Senate rejected her pick to lead New York's highest court.
In a move that capped weeks of intraparty fighting, Senate Democrats suddenly decided to hold a floor vote on the nomination of Judge Hector LaSalle.
It came just two days before a judge was scheduled to hear a challenge to the constitutionality of LaSalle's rejection by members of the Judiciary Committee instead of all 63 senators, but the result was the same.
Hochul's bid to install LaSalle as the Chief Judge of the State Court of Appeals went down in flames with a 39-20 vote. Members of her own party ended her quest to make history by selecting the first Hispanic individual to head the top court.
Democrats wanted a more liberal judge to serve as a counterweight to the conservative United States Supreme Court.
"Is this the person we want setting precedents that will alter the course of New York's history and law for years to come? I can't say with confidence that that's the case," Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal said. "The stakes are just too damn high in Washington with the United States Supreme Court overturning our basic rights and liberties."
"This is a classic political game," Sen. Andrew Lanza said. "I wish this is not how things work here in Albany. It's been going on like this for far too long."
The governor, who became the first governor in state history to have a judicial nomination rejected, called the vote a victory for the Constitution, but she said it was not a vote on the merits of LaSalle, who she called an "overwhelmingly qualified and talented jurist." She says she will now work towards making a new nomination.