Brentwood Justice Rejected By Senate Panel For Chief Judge

BRENTWOOD, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul's pick for chief judge of the New York state Court of Appeals has officially been cut.

Judge Hector LaSalle, of Brentwood, was rejected on Wednesday by a key State Senate panel in Albany, The New York Times reported.

This is the first time that New York lawmakers have rebuffed a governor’s choice for chief judge.

The 19-member committee voted 10 to 9 against moving LaSalle to a full vote on the Senate floor, The New York Times reported. All 10 who voted against the judge were Democrats; two Democrats voted in favor of LaSalle, while one Democrat and all six Republicans voted in favor “without recommendation.”

LaSalle faced a growing opposition since Hochul nominated him last month, after several senators expressed his background to be too conservative on issues like abortion, and criminal defense.

Senator Shelley Mayer, who represents State Senate District 37, explained in a statement on why she voted "no" to LaSalle.

"Today the Senate Judiciary Committee, under the able leadership of Chair Brad Hoylman-Sigal, gave Justice Hector LaSalle a thoughtful and complete opportunity to respond to questions posed by my colleagues, explain his judicial philosophy, and get a full and fair hearing," she said.

Mayer went onto say how she views LaSalle’s "consistent pattern of interpreting statutes and common law" as "extremely narrowly" as inadequate.

"We are confronted with a U.S. Supreme Court that has disregarded the rights and liberties of millions of Americans and threatens further infringement on our freedoms with decisions still to come," said Mayer, who watched the hearing virtually after testing positive for COVID-19. "Just this past year, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which protected a woman’s constitutional right to abortion, and struck down New York’s concealed carry law."

She also said that many of New Yorkers often go to court without a lawyer, in distress or suffering family trauma, "afraid and alone."

She continued to say: "I regret that Justice LaSalle has not made the issues they face a priority, nor did his answers today convince me that he would do so going forward. He was unwilling to take a larger role in these important issues, leaving them to the Chief Administrative Judge, without articulating any clear plan to prioritize them under his leadership."

Robles Roman, former NYC Deputy Mayor for Legal/Counsel and current Dean of Faculty, told Spectrum News that senators were "cherry picking" less memorable parts of LaSalle's career.

He would have been the first Latinx judge to hold this position.

Governor Hochul also released a statement on the committee's decision.

"Today, New Yorkers had the opportunity to hear directly from Judge LaSalle, and what they heard was an affirmation of his commitment to fairness and justice above all else," she said. "He also shared his personal background and views, including his deeply held support for organized labor and unequivocal belief in the right to an abortion. Judge LaSalle demonstrated exactly why he is the right person for this role - because of his extensive experience, judicial temperament and integrity."

She continued to say that while it was a thorough hearing, "it was not a fair one" because the outcome was "predetermined", as several Senators stated how they would vote beforehand.

"Several Senators stated how they were going to vote before the hearing even began - including those who were recently given seats on the newly expanded Judiciary Committee," she said. "While the Committee plays a role, we believe the Constitution requires action by the full Senate."