NY Senate Rejects Hochul’s Controversial Top Judge Pick (3)

The New York Senate, in an unprecedented move, on Wednesday discarded Gov. Kathy Hochul’s chief judge nominee to the state’s highest court in a 20-39 vote, restarting the judicial nomination process.

The full floor vote ends a stalemate between Hochul and Senate Democrats over how to proceed after the Senate Judiciary Committee last month rejected the elevation of Hector D. LaSalle to chief judge on the Court of Appeals.

The committee vote was an inauspicious setback for Hochul early in her first full term as governor. She still must negotiate the state budget with Albany lawmakers by March 31. The ...