State Senators, including Democratic #2, ask Hochul to Nominate Public Defender to New York’s Top Court
A 2021 retirement offers Hochul her first chance to shape New York’s Court of Appeals. Her pick will be an early indication of her ideological commitments, Senator Michael Gianaris said.
Sam Mellins · November 14, 2021

Governor Kathy Hochul shakes hands with the Court of Appeals' Chief Judge Janet DiFiore in August, immediately after being sworn in. | Kevin P. Coughlin

Sam Mellins is senior reporter at New York Focus, which he has been a part of since launch day. His reporting has also appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle, The Intercept, THE CITY, and The Nation.
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