NY: New chief judge shortlist features three current Court of Appeals judges, no Latinos
On Friday, the Commission on Judicial Nomination released a shortlist of seven finalists for the chief judge position. Gov. Hochul now has between 15 and 30 days to select one of the seven candidates to nominate. Once she nominates one of them, the state Senate will have 30 days to hold hearings and vote on whether to confirm the nominee.
The shortlist released on Friday is significantly different from the commission’s previous shortlist, released in November. Unsurprisingly, the new shortlist does not include Hector LaSalle – the appellate judge whom Hochul nominated as chief judge in December, leading to a brutal nomination fight that ultimately ended in the state Senate’s unprecedented rejection of his nomination.
Notably, the new shortlist does not include any Latino candidates, dashing the hopes of LaSalle supporters who had hoped that New York could have its first Latino chief judge.
"As it was made clear with the travesty committed against Judge Hector LaSalle's nomination – no Latinos need apply when it comes to the top position in the state’s judiciary. Mission accomplished," Latinos for LaSalle said in a statement.
The seven chief judge candidates are:
- Anthony Cannataro, associate judge of the Court of Appeals and acting chief judge
- Shirley Troutman, associate judge of the Court of Appeals
- Rowan Wilson, associate judge of the Court of Appeals
- Elizabeth Garry, presiding justice of the Third Department appellate courts
- Gerald Whalen, presiding justice of the Fourth Department appellate courts
- Corey Stoughton, attorney-in-charge of special litigation and law reform at the Legal Aid Society
- Caitlin Halligan, attorney in private practice
https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2023/03/new-chief-judge-shortlist-features-three-current-court-appeals-judges-no-latinos/384422/
