Today, the Judiciary Committee failed to follow its Constitutional responsibility to allow the nomination of Justice Hector LaSalle to proceed to a full Senate vote.

I thank Ranking Member Senator Palumbo and the Republican members of the Judiciary Committee for carrying out this process in a respectful and professional manner consistent with their obligation to the state constitution.

In contrast, the radical majority members of the Judiciary Committee put their far-left politics ahead of their obligation to the people of New York, effectively blocking Justice LaSalle from becoming the first Latino Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals.

We believe this nomination is due consideration by the full Senate, where it should be considered with an open mind based on his qualifications, not politics.

###