Hochul, fellow Democrats, voice support for judge nominee
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and other prominent state Democrats and Latino leaders on Saturday demanded the governor’s chief judge nominee receive a fair hearing on Wednesday, pushing back on claims by liberal lawmakers that Hector D. LaSalle is too conservative and his nomination should be withdrawn.
Hochul, appearing at the Latino Pastoral Action Center Leadership meeting, pledged to stand by LaSalle — a veteran judge who, if confirmed, would become the first Latino to lead the seven-member high court and oversee New York’s judicial system. She called him “eminently qualified” for the job.
“I examined all the records. I saw all the cases, even those that are being maligned and used against him and … they’ve been falsely represented. And that’s what I will not stand for,” said Hochul, arguing that past nominees have not been “prejudged” and “misrepresented” like LaSalle.