Gov. Kathy Hochul pledges to stand by chief judge nominee Hector LaSalle as he faces criticism
NEW YORK -- Gov. Kathy Hochul is calling on the state Legislature to give her chief judge nominee a fair hearing.
She joined other state Democrats and Latino leaders in the Bronx on Saturday, pledging to stand by veteran judge Hector LaSalle ahead of Wednesday's hearing.
This comes as at least 14 senators, along with several reproductive rights and justice groups and unions, are opposing LaSalle's nomination. They're calling for his nomination to be withdrawn, saying he's too conservative and some of his judicial decisions have been anti-labor, anti-due process and anti-abortion.
"We deserve a chief judge with a record that shows a commitment to representing all New Yorkers," Sen. Robert Jackson said.
"I examined all the records. I saw the cases, even those that are being maligned and used against him, and they are false, being falsely represented, and that's what I will not stand for," Hochul said.
If confirmed, LaSalle would be the first Latino to lead New York's seven-member high court and oversee the state's judicial system.
