Republicans file ethics complaint alleging inappropriate comments by NY's chief judge

ALBANY — Republicans filed a formal complaint Wednesday against New York Chief Judge Rowan Wilson, saying he crossed an ethical line with remarks at a recent legal symposium in which he said people shouldn’t vote for judges who hand out lengthy sentences only to be overturned on appeal.

"When those judges come up to be elected, don't vote for them, get other people not to vote for them," Wilson said at a City University Law School forum on March 5, according to the Queens Daily Eagle. "That's something you can do for me."

A spokesman for the state Office of Court Administration said it was completely appropriate for Wilson to express views on legislation that affects the court system and on judicial temperament.

But State Sen. Anthony Palumbo, a Suffolk County Republican and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Wilson’s remarks went beyond that. He said lower-level judges have been punished or admonished for saying less, such as vowing to lock up criminals or promoting certain judicial candidates.

"The most problematic part is the last sentence — ‘for me,’ " Palumbo said at a State Capitol news conference. "And this isn’t coming from a town judge, a district court judge. This is coming from a man who is in charge of an entire branch of government," Palumbo said.

As chief judge, Wilson not only presides over the Court of Appeals, New York’s top court, but also the sprawling judicial system.

"He’s saying vote out the judges that he does not agree with," Assemb. Michael Tannousis (R-Staten Island), the ranking Republican on the Assembly Judiciary Committee, said. "That is not the role of the chief judge."

Palumbo and Tannousis said they would file a formal complaint with the Commission on Judicial Conduct, asking for a review. Tannousis also said it was inappropriate for Wilson to voice support for the so-called "Second Look Act," a proposed bill that would allow inmates with lengthy sentences to apply for reduced sentences after serving some of their time.

Wilson, 65, has been a member of the seven-judge Court of Appeals since 2017 and was named chief judge in 2023 by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Since ascending to the post, Wilson vocally has supported sentencing reform and pushed the court to hear more cases, especially criminal appeals.

Al Baker, spokesman for the Office of Court Administration, defended Wilson’s remarks.

"It is appropriate for the Chief Judge to express his views on pending legislation that affects the court system," Baker said in an email. "It is also appropriate for him to speak publicly about proper judicial temperament and values, and to encourage New Yorkers to stay informed about the conduct of the judges serving their communities and to participate in the processes by which those judges are elected or appointed. Those are the points that the chief made at this symposium, consistent with his role as the chief judge of the state."

By Yancey Roy

yancey.roy@newsday.com@yanceyroy