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Senate Republican sues to get full vote on Hochul's judicial nominee
Rebecca C. Lewis reports in City and State that New York Republicans in the state senate are suing to force a vote on Gov. Kathy Hochul's chief judge nominee Hector LaSalle. Democrats already voted the nomination down in committee, but now Republicans want to force a full Senate vote on the judge. Republican State Sen. Anthony Palumbo, the ranking minority member of the Judiciary Committee, filed the lawsuit in state court Feb. 9. Last month, the Judiciary Committee voted 10-to-9 against LaSalle's nomination. Generally, if a nominee or a bill is voted down in a committee it does not reach the Senate floor for a vote. But Palumbo said in a statement. “Justice LaSalle is entitled to a full up or down vote by the full Senate, not as a courtesy, but because the Constitution requires it.” Mike Murphy, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, said in a statement. “It is embarrassing but not surprising that the Senate Republicans have no basic understanding of law or the constitution.” Read more about this story in City and State.