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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James reassured that they plan to protect New Yorkers’ rights amid potential “threats” posed by former President Donald Trump’s impending second term, they said in a Wednesday afternoon press briefing.

Hochul and James introduced the Empire State Freedom Initiative, a task force focused on areas susceptible to changes from the Trump administration. Some of these areas include civil rights, environmental justice, gun safety, immigration, labor rights, LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive rights, Hochul said.

“While we honor the results of this election, and we’ll work with anyone who wants to be a partner in achieving the goals of our administration and our state, that does not mean we’ll accept an agenda from Washington that strips away the rights that New Yorkers have long enjoyed,” Hochul said.

Beginning her address, Hochul congratulated Trump on his win and offered support for those elected to Congress — including incumbent New York Sen. Kristen Gillibrand.

Previously, Hochul shared her view on New Yorkers who decide to vote Republican in the state’s congressional races. She stated those voting Republican will be supporting an “anti-woman” and “anti-American” candidate.

Hochul then highlighted the voters’ support of Proposal Number 1, which passed with 61.8% of the vote Tuesday. The proposal amends the state constitution to protect additional identity groups from discrimination — adding protections for sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, pregnancy and reproductive healthcare, among others.

She said that, with Proposal 1, the state can further protect reproductive rights from any potential federal actions that may restrict access to IVF, contraception or abortion medication.

“My office has been preparing for a potential second Trump administration, and I am ready to do everything in my power to ensure our state and nation do not go backwards,” James said.

The Freedom Initiative is working with New York’s congressional delegates and current President Joe Biden’s administration to monitor federal legislations and their potential impacts on state law, Hochul said.

Hochul also highlighted the need for the Trump administration to continue to support state infrastructure projects, especially those funded by the CHIPS and Science Act and associated with Micron Technology.

Hochul also said the New York State Intelligence Center and Cyber Incident Response Team are both actively working to ensure there are no current threats of political violence or cyber incidents posed toward New Yorkers in light of the election results.

Hochul concluded her speech by reminding New Yorkers about the importance of moving forward and highlighting the state’s previous history of persevering in times of uncertainty.

Published on November 7, 2024 at 2:01 am

Contact Zaara: zamalik@syr.edu