Former judges praise Hector LaSalle, Gov. Hochul’s pick for top judge

ALBANY — A group of former judges are defending Gov. Hochul’s pick to head up the state’s judiciary system amid opposition from labor leaders and progressive lawmakers.

Nearly two dozen former justices who worked with Hector LaSalle during his time as an associate judge and as the presiding justice of the state’s 2nd Appellate Division penned a letter to top lawmakers Wednesday saying they “wholeheartedly support without reservation” his nomination to be chief judge of the state Court of Appeals.

“While only speaking for ourselves, we believe that having a chief judge with real judicial and legal experience is long overdue,” the 22 former appellate judges wrote, according to a copy of the note obtained by the Daily News. “The people of New York who look to our courts as houses of law and justice are well-served by this nomination.”

If approved by the Democrat-led state Senate, LaSalle would be the first Latino to lead the Court of Appeals and serve as head administrator for the sprawling statewide court system.

His path to appointment is unclear as 10 Dems in the Senate have already signaled they will not support LaSalle, citing what they view as a history of controversial opinions and his past work as a prosecutor.

“There’s no way in hell he gets through,” a legislative source told The News.

Opponents, including prominent labor leaders, have painted LaSalle as an overtly conservative jurist whose track record as a judge includes opinions viewed as anti-union and anti-reproductive rights.

His former fellow judges disagree.

“Rather, he vigorously reviews the record of each case, the decision of the court below and applies the applicable law,” they wrote. “In other words, he calls them as he sees them.”

The letter goes on to accuse critics of “casting a political light on an apolitical position and doing a great disservice to our courts and the rule of law.”

Union heads have bristled at the nomination, citing a 2015 opinion enabling the now-defunct Cablevision to sue union leaders for criticizing the company’s response to Hurricane Sandy despite a state law meant to curb harassment of labor by management. The Court of Appeals eventually overturned the ruling.

Critics have also raised issue with an appeals court ruling in which LaSalle and other justices intervened to shield an anti-abortion pregnancy center from being probed by the state attorney general’s office.

LaSalle was one of seven candidates submitted to Hochul by the state’s Commission on Judicial Nomination following the sudden resignation of former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore in July.

Several lawmakers, including state Sen. Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan), called on the commission to include candidates with diverse backgrounds, such as civil rights attorneys, public defenders and tenant advocates, when compiling recommendations over the summer.

Now, Hoylman, who said LaSalle, a former prosecutor, will have a “fair and thorough hearing,” is facing calls from the Working Families Party and other politically powerful groups to block the nomination before it even reaches a floor vote.

Hochul defended her choice last week, calling on lawmakers to allow the process to play out.

“I’m standing with him. I’m proud of this selection,” the governor said. “I encourage everyone to give him the fair hearing that he’s entitled to.”