Gov. Hochul, state Senate don't agree on process for confirming top NY judge

The battle over New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s pick to lead the state’s judicial branch could tumble into the very court system she wants him to oversee — if the governor or her allies are willing to sue.

Hochul, a Democrat, is facing intense pushback from some factions of her party and the labor movement for her selection of Hector LaSalle for chief judge of the Court of Appeals, a position that would not only put him on New York’s top court but also put him in charge of the state’s sprawling judicial system. Now, Hochul and the state Senate’s Democratic majority are on opposing sides of an emerging disagreement over the constitutional process for appointing judges to the top court.

At issue is whether the full Senate, not just a committee, must vote on her pick. LaSalle is expected to meet with the Senate Judiciary Committee next Wednesday for a confirmation hearing. His allies fear the committee could shoot down his nomination without giving the full chamber — where Hochul could have a better chance of convincing a broader mix of Democrats and Republicans to confirm LaSalle — a chance to weigh in.

For more, visit Gothamist.com.