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      New York court rejects congressional maps, seen as favoring Democrats

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      New York court rejects congressional maps, seen as favoring DemocratsLegal fight over process could be a factor in the battle between Democrats and Republicans for control of the House New York’s highest court on Wednesday rejected the state’s new congressional district maps, which had been widely seen as favoring Democrats.The legal fight over New York’s redistricting process could be a factor in the battle between Democrats and Republicans for control of the US House.New York is set to lose one seat in Congress in 2021. New York’s new maps would give Democrats a strong majority of registered voters in 22 of the state’s 26 congressional districts. Republicans now hold eight of the state’s 27 seats.Democrats had been hoping that a redistricting map favorable to their party in New York might help offset expected losses in other states where Republicans control state government.The state’s court of appeals agreed in a ruling with a group of Republican voters who sued, saying that the district boundaries had been unconstitutionally gerrymandered and that the legislature hadn’t followed proper procedure in passing the maps.The court said it will “likely be necessary” to move the congressional and state senate primary elections from June to August.A lower-level court had also ruled that the maps were unconstitutional and had given the legislature a 30 April deadline to come up with new maps or else leave the task to a court-appointed expert.Political district maps across the nation have been redrawn in recent months as a result of population shifts recorded in the 2020 census.Under a process passed by voters in 2014, New York’s new district maps were supposed to have been drawn by an independent commission. But that body, made up of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans, couldn’t agree on one set of maps. The Democratic-controlled legislature then stepped in and created its own maps, quickly signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul.Republicans sued, seeking to have the maps tossed for violating a provision in the state constitution barring the redrawing of districts for partisan gain. Similar legal battles have been playing out in several other states.The legal battle has moved quickly through the courts, but not fast enough to quell uncertainty about the primary, now scheduled for 28 June.In the meantime, candidates have had to begin campaigning in the new districts, even as they are unsure whether those districts will still exist by the time voting begins.TopicsNew YorkUS voting rightsDemocratsKathy HochulUS politicsnewsReuse this content More

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      Kathy Hochul vows to change ‘toxic’ culture as she waits to become New York governor

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      Kathy HochulKathy Hochul vows to change ‘toxic’ culture as she waits to become New York governor‘I will fight like hell for you,’ says Democrat, who is set to become state’s first female governor Maya Yang and agencyWed 11 Aug 2021 16.53 EDTLast modified on Wed 11 Aug 2021 16.54 EDTKathy Hochul, who is set to become New York’s first female governor after Andrew Cuomo resigned over sexual harassment allegations, has said she will work to change the “toxic” work culture in the state’s top office.“The promise I make to all New Yorkers, right here and right now, I will fight like hell for you every single day, like I’ve always done and always will,” the Democrat who has served as Lieutenant Governor since 2015, but remains an unfamiliar face to many in the city, told a press conference on Wednesday.Hochul, 62, said that she and Cuomo “have not been close – physically or otherwise”.She said there would be no place in her administration for any Cuomo aides who were implicated in unethical behavior by the state attorney general’s investigation into his behavior toward women.“At the end of my term, whenever it ends – no one will ever describe my administration as a toxic work environment,” Hochul said.Cuomo, 63, announced Tuesday that he would quit rather than face a likely impeachment trial after state attorney general Letitia James released a report concluding he sexually harassed 11 women, including one who accused him of groping her breast.Cuomo denies that he touched anyone inappropriately. But he said that with the state still in a pandemic crisis, it was best for him to step aside so the state’s leaders could “get back to governing”.Hochul is set to become the state’s first woman governor in 13 days, when Cuomo’s resignation takes effect. She acknowledged that she was not pleased with the two-week transition period, saying, “It was not what I asked for. However, I’m looking forward to a smooth transition, which he promised,” referring to Cuomo.Hochul has maintained a modest profile as lieutenant governor in a state where Cuomo commanded and dominated the spotlight. Nevertheless, she is a seasoned veteran on retail politics and is said to be well-liked by her colleagues. From 2011 to 2013, Hochul served in Congress representing a Buffalo-area district.“Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will be an extraordinary governor,” Senator Kisten Gilibrand, a New York senator, told reporters at the US Capitol on Tuesday. “She understands the complexities and needs of our state, having been both a congresswoman and having been lieutenant governor for the last several years.”Various district attorneys in New York have been requesting information about the investigation overseen by attorney general Letitia James’ office as they weigh criminal charges against Cuomo. Hochul was asked whether she would consider pardoning Cuomo if charges were brought. “I’m going to tell you right now, I’m talking about my vision for the state of New York. It is far too premature to even have those conversations,” she said.Leaders in the state legislature have yet to say whether they plan on dropping an impeachment investigation that has been ongoing since March, and which had been expected to conclude in the coming weeks.In addition to examining his conduct with women, lawyers hired by the state assembly had been investigating whether the administration manipulated data on Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes and whether Cuomo improperly got help from his staff writing a book about the pandemic.Republicans have urged the Democratic-controlled legislature to go ahead with impeachment, possibly to prevent Cuomo from running for office again.At the press conference, Hochul also acknowledged the growing threat of the Delta variant and urged New Yorkers to unite against the fight against it. “It’s going to take all of us to defeat it,” Hochul said, before acknowledging the need to keep the incoming school populations safe. “It’s going to take all of us working together,” she said.
      Associated Press contributed to this report
      TopicsKathy HochulAndrew CuomoNew YorkUS politicsnewsReuse this content More