Chief Judge Shortlist Offers Hochul a Stark Choice
Former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore’s unexpected resignation gave the governor a chance to reshape the Court of Appeals. Her pick will affect New Yorkers’ rights for years to come.
Former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore’s unexpected resignation gave the governor a chance to reshape the Court of Appeals. Her pick will affect New Yorkers’ rights for years to come.
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Or would it remain hidden — buried within the confines of New York’s sprawling criminal-legal apparatus?
I started working at New York Focus in 2022, not long after the outlet launched. Since that time, our reporters and editors have been vigorously scrutinizing every facet of the Empire State’s criminal justice institutions, investigating power players and the impact of policy on state prisons, county jails, and local police and courts — always with an eye toward what it means for people involved in the system.
That system works hard to make those people invisible, and it shields those at the top from scrutiny. And without rigorous, resource-intensive journalism, it would all operate with significantly more impunity.
Only a handful of journalists do this type of work in New York. In the last decades, the number of local news outlets in the state has nearly halved, making our coverage all the more critical. Our criminal justice reporting has been cited in lawsuits, spurred legislation, and led to the rescission of statewide policies. With your help, we can continue to do this work, and go even deeper: We have endless ideas for more ambitious projects and harder hitting investigations. But we need your help.
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Here’s to a more just, more transparent New York.
One Brighton Beach property connects political donations, Medicaid scams, and a Turkish charity
Trump is poised to ramp up deportation activity in northern states like New York, which has few statewide policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
The state doesn’t publicize officer employment histories, making it impossible to track so-called wandering officers.
The Business Council, whose members include major warehouse owners UPS and Amazon, is pressing Governor Kathy Hochul to veto or amend the bill.
Much of Albany’s lawmaking process is controlled by a platoon of mostly young, low-paid employees who craft policy ideas into potential laws. And they’re turning over in droves.
New York Focus traveled across the state to meet with communities about their local news needs.