Joshua Solomon reports in the Times Union that the full New York State Senate voted down Gov. Kathy Hochul’s nomination of Hector LaSalle for chief judge of the state Court of Appeals on Feb. 15. The vote was 39-20, after the Judiciary Committee also voted the nomination down. Republicans sued for a full Senate vote, even though issues voted down in committee rarely get a full floor vote in Albany. Republicans say their court hearing Feb. 17 in the lawsuit about forcing the full senate to vote will go on, even though the full Senate already voted on the nomination. Hochul had also wanted a full vote on her nomination, and agreed with Republicans that it was constitutionally required, though she decided not to sue for a vote. After her nomination was voted down, Hochul said, "This vote is an important victory for the Constitution. But it was not a vote on the merits of Justice LaSalle, who is an overwhelming qualified and talented jurist." Hochul said she would begin looking for a new nominee. Read more about this story in the Times Union.