Gov. Kathy Hochul's push to name Hector LaSalle chief judge of the NY Court of Appeals fails key Senate vote
![Kathy Hochul](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/68E2b5gVv5weXUtNKLTb24-415-80.jpg)
Judge Hector LaSalle, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's (D) pick to lead the state Court of Appeals, suffered an ignominious — and potentially fatal — setback on Wednesday after the state Senate Judiciary Committee voted against his nomination 10-9. It was a historic defeat for both the jurist and the governor, who expended significant political capital on his behalf.
By the end of his hearing before the committee, LaSalle had earned only two unconditional votes of approval from the committee members, seven votes to pass him through to a full senate vote without recommendation, and 10 votes against his nomination entirely.
LaSalle's nomination had been fiercely opposed by many state Democratic lawmakers and progressives since Hochul named him as her pick to succeed now-retired Chief Judge Janet DiFiore in late December. Critics pointed to his previous rulings against labor unions, and an opinion denying constitutional protections against discrimination for potential jurors based on their skin color, with a cadre of law professors decrying what they caled his "activist conservative jurisprudence" that would "take our State's law in the wrong direction" in a blistering letter to the governor against LaSalle's nomination. Speaking at Wednesday's hearing, committee chair and LaSalle opponent Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal pushed back against Hochul's previous claims that her nominee could serve as a counterbalance to the conservative Supreme Court of the United States, stating simply "the stakes are just too high."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Touting his nomination as a potentially historic moment for the man who would, if confirmed, become the state's "first Latino chief judge," Gov. Hochul tapped a number of high-profile party surrogates to make the case for her nominee, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Nydia Velazquez, who spoke on LaSalle's behalf at a rally earlier this week. Hispanic Federation Board Chair Manuel Chinea and former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito also threw their weight behind LaSalle's nomination, with the latter stressing that "representation does matter," during an event hosted by the Latinos For LaSalle political group, of which Mark-Viverito is a member alongside longtime political consultant Luis Miranda Jr., father of Broadway megastar Lin Manuel Miranda.
While the committee's rejection of LaSalle's nomination has been taken by some in the state Senate as the final say in his prospect to become chief judge ("What happens in committees matter," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins told reporters the week before Wednesday's vote) Hochul has indicated she is prepared to sue, on the belief that LaSalle is constitutionally entitled to a full Senate floor vote.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Ukraine's Olympians: going for gold in the line of fire
Under the Radar Hundreds of the country's athletes have died in battle, while those who remain deal with the psychological toll of war and prospect of Russian competitors
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Democrats now have a chance to present a vigorous, compelling case'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What has Kamala Harris done as vice president?
In Depth It's not uncommon for the second-in-command to struggle to prove themselves in a role largely defined by behind-the-scenes work
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Fascism feasts on violence'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden, Trump urge calm after assassination attempt
Speed Reads A 20-year-old gunman grazed Trump's ear and fatally shot a rally attendee on Saturday
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
First Israeli report on Oct. 7 finds 'severe mistakes and errors' in IDF response
Speed Reads Israeli military admits failures in response to deadly Hamas attack that triggered Gaza war
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Is Amy Coney Barrett the Supreme Court's new swing justice?
Today's Big Question Still conservative, but independent
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Senators seek special counsel for Clarence Thomas' gifts
Speed Read Democrats called for a criminal investigation of the Supreme Court justice
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published