Kathy Hochul being sworn in as Governor of New York. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
By Annabelle Mackson ’23
Human Resources Coordinator & Staff Writer
On Aug. 24, 2021, Democrat Kathy Hochul was sworn in as the Governor of New York, the first woman to hold the position. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s resignation after a string of sexual assault allegations should have been shocking — he was so adored in 2020 that his fans were dubbed “Cuomosexuals.” To many, though, this was just another name in a long list; men in power taking advantage of their young, often female, subordinates is a tale as old as time. However, the spotlight now lies on Hochul, a relatively unknown politician despite having decades of involvement in public policy. I hope she’ll turn out to be the breath of fresh air New York — and, frankly, the rest of us — need, but I also fear she’ll be another so-called #girlboss politician, prompting wall art of empty one-liners while her constituents remain suffering. So far I have seen no evidence of the latter, which is a good sign for my sanity.
Hochul served as Lieutenant Governor of New York for six years. After assuming the position of Governor in August, Hochul was quick to make it known that despite her previous work for Cuomo, she condemned his alleged assaults against 11 women. In The New York Times, Hochul is quoted as saying, “the governor had his own tight inner circle,” implying she was not part of it. Hochul gave herself a 45-day grace period to clean out Cuomo-era employees and interview new hires. Hochul’s message was clear — as stated in an AP News article, “she will not keep anyone found to have behaved unethically.” Her transparency, especially concerning COVID-19, is very promising, but I looked into her political history to try to dispel my continued apprehension.
Hochul is staunchly pro-choice, even receiving funding in 2011 from EMILY’s List, an organization committed to electing more female Democrats in favor of abortion rights to office. She also supported the Affordable Care Act and expressed support for increasing taxes on incomes greater than $500,000 a year. These stances were documented during her 2011 run for the U.S. House of Representatives, so they could have changed during the past decade. However, one stance that has not wavered over the years is Hochul’s continued support of the LGBTQ+ community. Even in the relatively small role of Erie County Clerk, Hochul was outspoken in her support of marriage equality and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” as highlighted in an LGBTQ Nation article in 2011. She continues to affirm the LGBTQ+ community in 2021, and seems to be receptive to the demands of queer communities in New York.
As someone who dealt with the threat of a school shooting and traveled to Washington D.C. for the 2018 March for Our Lives, I was shocked to see that Hochul was endorsed by the NRA in 2012. To my surprise, during her 2014 campaign for Lieutenant Governor, Hochul spoke of her A- rating from the NRA, and how it would likely drop following her criticism of their failure to support background check legislation after the Sandy Hook Massacre. The Observer quotes her as saying, “I thought it was a national disgrace that after the slaughter of children, they wouldn’t support background checks … I doubt I’d get that rating now.” She has continued her support for gun control legislation and even spoke at a gun control rally in 2018.
The case of Cuomo is not the first time Hochul has picked up the pieces after the resignation of a politician due to sexual misconduct. In 2011, Hochul ran for Congress in a special election following the resignation of Republican Chris Lee after he was exposed for soliciting a woman on Craigslist. I can’t criticize her for taking charge in a less than ideal situation, but not many people can attribute their major political successes to someone else’s wrongdoings.
Ultimately, I support Hochul, but with cautious optimism; it is your choice if you want to support her as well. I agree with her stances on some social and economic issues, and applaud her COVID-19 response, especially regarding vaccination mandates. I also look forward to seeing her future in prison reform after CBS News reported that she “ordered the immediate release of 191 inmates housed at Rikers Island” as part of the “Less is More Act” aimed at parolees. I was elated that her stance on gun control had shifted so drastically, and as an ally, I was pleased to see her ongoing commitment to support the queer community. I will remain skeptical of her, as I will for any person in power, but at this point, I truly believe that Kathy Hochul is here to do good and invoke real change.