The New York State Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on whether to recommend to the full Senate the confirmation of Presiding Justice Hector LaSalle as Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals. The Judiciary Committee abdicated its responsibilities to the voters of New York. Instead of giving a fair hearing to an extraordinarily qualified nominee, they chose to announce in advance, before the hearing, that they would vote no.

The result was predetermined. Only one week ago, the Senate Majority Leader stacked the committee with four more members, three Democrats and one Republican to assure a no vote. Two of the newly appointed Democrats as well as several of the original Democratic Senators on the committee stated they would vote no to LaSalle’s confirmation prior to the hearing.