ALBANY, NY – New York State Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris issued a statement on January 18 following the State Senate Judiciary Committee voting against advancing the nomination of Justice Hector LaSalle:

“Today’s vote against advancing this nomination is consistent with the values my colleagues and I outlined in our previous letter to the nominating commission: supporting a candidate for Chief Judge possessed of a diverse professional background and who represents a departure from the tenure of Chief Judge Janet DiFiore and her three followers who still sit on the Court of Appeals. This nominee was neither of these and I believe the committee made the right decision.

“The Senate has now set a new standard in thorough, detailed hearings – an achievement for our democracy and a harbinger of future proceedings. My deepest thanks to Judiciary Committee Chair Brad Hoylman-Sigal and all the committee members.”