ALBANY — NYGOP Chair Ed Cox released the following statement:
“Governor Hochul, Speaker Heastie, and Senate Leader Stewart-Cousins have finally admitted what we all knew: that their effort to racially gerrymander NY-11 was done in reckless disregard for the federal and state constitutions.
“In addition, our feckless and legally incompetent Attorney General Letitia James again demonstrated that she is unqualified for her office.
“Acting Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Pearlman was clearly conflicted based on his prior representation of Kathy Hochul and other Democrats. He should never have heard this case due to his conflicts. Just as shocking was his flawed legal reasoning, which ignored the Constitution and the state laws over redistricting. Similarly, the Appellate Division First Department made itself a laughingstock in its refusal to stay Pearlman’s decision despite the onset of the electoral season.
“If the United States Supreme Court had not issued a Stay, the entire Congressional map of New York State would have been thrown into chaos. The electoral season began February 24th and candidates across the state could not be certain as to whether the Congressional map might be changed.
“This entire litigation was based on a lie, one that Kathy Hochul, Letitia James and the Democrat legislative leaders were happy to promote. The Staten Island/Brooklyn congressional district has been in place since 1983, and it does not racially discriminate against black and Hispanic voters. Rep. Malliotakis is herself of Cuban/Greek heritage and the first Latina to represent the district. Indeed, the so-called New York Voting Rights Act that Democrats relied upon to bring this case specifically does not apply to Congressional redistricting. The Governor and Attorney General blithely ignored the law in their legal filings.
“By moving to discontinue the case, Democrats have finally thrown in the towel. But they owe the people of Staten Island and South Brooklyn an apology for their reckless accusations of racial discrimination and their frivolous use of taxpayer resources in advancing this case.”
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