New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) is reportedly refusing to take action on hundreds of bills amid a tightening race with her Republican opponent.
The New York Post reported Hochul is “ducking any chance she’ll offend voters and powerful interest groups before Election Day by delaying action on a backlog of more than 420 bills that passed the legislature” earlier in 2022.
The outlet noted some of the measures address the medical, bank, real estate and cryptocurrency mining industries that are “hefty” campaign donors for Hochul.
Others would reportedly benefit “donor-friendly trial lawyers and transit worker unions.”
John Kaehny, director of the government watchdog group Reinvent Albany, told the Post Hochul has “made a strategic decision not to sign or call up lots and lots of bills until after the election. It’s enormously frustrating.”
According to the report, key Democratic allies are even frustrated with Hochul.
More than 50 members of the Black, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus sent a secret letter to Hochul obtained by the Post calling on her to sign the Foreclosure Abuse Prevention Act into law.
“The prompt signing of FAPA into law is of particular concern to our Caucus since manipulative foreclosure practices disproportionately harm communities of color,” the letter states, signed by Assemblywoman Michelle Solages (D-Valley Stream).
The letter continues, “With each passing day, New York homeowners are increasingly losing their homes to what would otherwise be time-barred foreclosure actions. The FAPA should be signed into law in its current form without further delay.”
Hochul spokeswoman Hazel Crampton-Hays issued a statement to the Post, claiming the governor is not stalling on legislation.
“Since taking office, Gov. Hochul has signed nearly 1,000 pieces of legislation, including almost 600 so far this year, that — whether the Post reports it or not — are strengthening public safety, keeping New Yorkers safe from gun violence, ensuring quality education for every child, delivering tax relief to hardworking New Yorkers, and supporting small businesses, and we are reviewing the remaining legislation,” Crampton-Hays said.
Hochul’s office claimed she has signed 581 out of 1,007 bills that passed the legislature into law in 2022, as the Post reported.
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) currently trails Hochul by 7.2 points, according to FiveThirtyEight.
The race has narrowed since over the summer when Hochul held over an 18 point lead on Zeldin.