The NYT has this by Luis Ferré-Sadurní, "Hochul Picked a Running Mate. Now She Has to Pick Another One. Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin’s resignation in the face of a criminal indictment creates a major political test for Gov. Kathy Hochul":
The search [for lieutenant governor] was relatively swift, with Ms. Hochul, a white Democrat from Buffalo, homing in on elected officials of color from downstate. She picked Brian Benjamin, a Black state senator from Harlem who was expected to help Ms. Hochul broaden her appeal in New York City, announcing her choice at a campaign-style rally in Upper Manhattan in August.
The move came despite a string of ethics questions that had followed Mr. Benjamin and that centered on some dubious campaign finance practices during his time as senator and his unsuccessful run for city comptroller last year....
Mr. Benjamin’s arrest appeared to blindside Ms. Hochul, disrupting her schedule just as she was increasing her time on the campaign trail this week. The arrest coincided with a mass shooting at a Brooklyn subway station, and Ms. Hochul had to call off a union fund-raiser in Manhattan and a news conference on Long Island....
And what did she say at that news conference? How did that go? The NYT just said she had to interrupt her campaigning and moved on to the possibility that Andrew Cuomo might run for governor again. That "would most likely be a steep climb for him," we're told. It's for the reader to wonder how much less steep that the climb suddenly got.
The damage to Hochul looks much more lurid over at the NY Post. Here's Bob McManus in "Kathy Hochul’s terrible judgment leads to one terrible day." McManus begins by trashing that press conference (video at the link):
Gov. Kathy Hochul rushed to the microphones Tuesday to reassure New Yorkers following the Brooklyn subway shootings..... Out tumbled a jumble of half-thoughts, unfocused and haltingly delivered, underscoring what has been apparent for some time now — which is that New York’s latest accidental governor would be out of her depth in a Buffalo mud puddle....
Hochul’s horrible day also included news that her handpicked, staunchly defended lieutenant governor, Brian Benjamin, had just been arrested on federal corruption charges.... [T]he scandal could have been predicted by anybody who pays even cursory attention to New York politics. But Hochul, it seems, doesn’t pay attention to much....
Who better to raise up than a black, vocal defund-the-police progressive?... [I]t was no secret that the feds had him in their sights all along, even if the particulars weren’t well-known — yet Hochul not only picked him to run with her for a full term, she firmly defended his place on the ticket until Tuesday....
Now Benjamin is gone, except that he’ll apparently be on the June primary ballot anyway — a continuing embarrassment to Hochul and the party in general. Savvy politicians don’t get themselves in the soup like this — which again amplifies Kathy Hochul’s startlingly thin resume. Service on the Hamburg, NY, town board and a term filing legal documents as Erie County clerk isn’t exactly job prep for the Empire State’s top elected office.
Watch the video at the link. Hochul babbles about how cold and uncaring the shooter was and goes on to stiffly declare her dedication to crime control.
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27 comments:
Blacks like corruption, was her thinking. It sticks it to The Man.
My own observation is that "Democrat" is just another word for "ethically challenged." This seems to be true of many Republican politicians as well, but with the Democrats, it is universal. They are all grifters with their snouts in the trough, from the Big Guy on down.
"homing in on elected officials of color from downstate."
Tammany Hall
The Daley Machine
Sheriffs South of the Mason/Dixon
Democrat Party history of decidedly undemocratic governance.
We are not surprised are we? I did notice this post highlights the NYT ho hum response to corruption, all knew about at the time the appointment was made.
The shocking part was the charges being filed at all. Considering the corruption evident in the Justice leg, of our 3 legged stool of government, at the local, state, and federal levels.
Kathy, if you're afraid you'll have to overlook it,
Besides you knew the job was dangerous when you took it!
And yet, the Democrat voters of NY will continue to vote thrm into office. Weird, huh?
I think she'll be OK as long as she can get crime under control without arresting, charging and convicting criminals. Hiring them is one way but that may simply shift the crime to a new area.
You know who this hurts? Kamala Harris.
Kathy, can you show us on the doll where Governor Cuomo touched you?
I happened to catch some of her press conference comments about the subway shooting. In her attempt at firmness and conviction on how New Yorkers have a right to feel and be safe, she sounded like the cartoon voice of the teacher in a Charlie Brown special. It was just "Whah, whah, whoo, whah." inauthentic, unconvincing and embarrassing.
Well...she's an awful Governor with or without this 'incident'. Albany is deeply corrupt and that did not suddenly change when Sheldon Silver, then Andrew Cuomo were forced to leave (Silver being finally arrested). Hochul is clueless, which is usually a feature of Democratic Governors. But I suspect those remaining in New York might be getting tired of the Same Old Shit.
Though I could be wrong.
Can Cuomo run even if he wants to? I read the other day that he had skipped the filing deadline. He should be ineligible
Otoh, it's new york, it's a dem and it's cuoe so laws probably don't mean much.
John LGKTQ Henry
That's their choice? Hochul or Cuomo? Maybe time for some former cop to run.
Hochul continues the trend downward in competency in the “leaders” bubbling and bumbling up to executive positions. Coumo selected an unqualified lieutenant who makes what sounds like an affirmative action hire to be her lieutenant. Neither appears to be vetted. One can’t help but see similar traps in Slow Joe’s line of succession, which is kinda ironic because it is widely believed that Obama selected Joe for veep as “insurance” against his removal from office, since it was understood way back then that nobody but nobody wanted Joe in the top slot. So we see a multiverse of bad decisions that brought us to this point and few competent replacements on the bench.
Oops I meant Kathy when I wrote Karen above.
Damaged!?! In NY!?
Sounds like someone has a book deal and a candidacy for NYC mayor in the works!
Progressivism is killing the Democrat party.
It’s tough trying to be governor of two states.
New York politician corrupt.
News at eleven...
Yes, if Whitmer can, Biden can, then bring back the man from planned parent/hood, #MeToo.
I remember thinking it odd when they got rid of Cuomo. He was flying high during COVID and there was talk of him running for President instead of Biden and then suddenly, Bam! Yet when I looked at the allegations against Cuomo they were actually pretty benign. Awkward behavior at best but well within the limits of what Democratic governors were always allowed to do.
My only conclusion from the last two years is that Obama and Val Jarrett are still in control of the D's and they want as many puppets in office as possible. Anyone flying too high and who seems independent will be crushed. NY and Michigan have the prototype elected official for the Obama era. Marginally presentable vapid women or POC. Much like our VP, who is also a Obamacrat. Biden was a Obama "appointment" out of necessity and if he gets too uppity he will be replaced as well- which we many be seeing now with the Hunter laptop investigation.If Newsome gets some serious attention as a D Presidential candidate in 2024, I expect them to crush him as well. There is a serious back room stench coming from the D's. A little frightening how coordinated it is and how open it is. They are not afraid of getting caught.
I agree with Jefferson's Revenge. Something weird is going on.
"Mr. Benjamin’s arrest appeared to blindside Ms. Hochul, disrupting her schedule just as she was increasing her time on the campaign trail this week."
Don't you just hate it when that happens?
'I agree with Jefferson's Revenge. Something weird is going on.'
He was a threat to primary either Joe or Kamala, and Obama would lose his grip on the throne.
QED.
"homing in on elected officials of color from downstate."
This is what happens when you deliberately shrink the pool of candidates. Not saying Republicans are blameless on this, but this selecting based on minority bona fides really seems to be a hallmark of democrat politicians.
Good. They get what they deserve. Looking at you, Kamala, Ketanji.
Maybe if enough leftists get burned by their affirmative action hires, they'll reconsider.
But I doubt it.
She's already set the precedent that the Lt. Governor must be black for her to get elected. So it will be more of the same.
I don't understand how New Yorkers can continue down this path after watching the antics of the new NYC mayor. Is it masochism or the need to virtue signal regardless of the consequences?
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