NYS Business Council CEO backs Hector LaSalle for chief judge in new press release

The president and CEO of The Business Council of New York State, Heather Briccetti Mulligan, has backed Hector LaSelle’s nomination in a press release dated January 10, 2023, urging New York’s Democratic-run state Senate to confirm Hector LaSalle as the state’s next chief judge.

This came after complaints he’s been the victim of a smear campaign by “woke members of the legal academy” and knee-jerk lawmakers.

In the statement, directed to Members of the Senate, Mulligan expressed her concern regarding the nomination of Judge Hector D. Lasalle as the Chief Justice of the New York Court of Appeals, likewise, its potential impact.

“The rejection of a nominee, without so much as a hearing, based on a perceived failure to meet any political litmus test undemines the credibility of our courts and sends a loud message that political ideology will determine who sits on the bench,” Mulligan laments.

“This will most certainly give pause to those who select New York courts as the venue for dispute resolution, and further damage our state’s reputation.”

She noted that “New York’s court system is one of our greatest assets—unlike many jurisdictions around the world, our courts are viewed as predictable , fair and impartial.”

“The result is that New York Courts have been generally highly regarded by litigants, including businesses, in resolving legal disputes. The importance of confidence in our institutions cannot be understated—it is very underpinning of civil society,” she added.

Also, Mulligan notes that the “objectors have mischaracterized the nature of the decisions that have been points to as cause for rejection of the nominee,” citing an analysis by Albany Law School Professor Bonventre.

“The attempt to usurp the constitutional process and reject this nomination without a fair and thoughtful hearing will only serve to undermine the credibility of our courts and further tarnish the image and reputation of this state,” Mulligan warns.