Numerous New York counties plan to defy Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul’s order banning the approximately 2,000 fired correctional officers from ever working in New York again.
Hochul fired them after they continued to strike against unsafe conditions in understaffed prisons throughout the state.
Hochul signed an executive order the next day banning them from any future work in New York.
However, officials in three counties have indicated that they will either entirely defy or challenge the order so they can regain control of their own hiring processes.
Chemung County sued this past week over the action and argued that the order is illegal. Sheriff William Schrom stated, "[W]e are taking this action to protect our ability to staff our jail with experienced personnel and to stand against unconstitutional overreach.”
The Oneida County Board of Legislators approved a resolution allowing them to sue the state over the order since lawmakers believe Hochul overstepped. “Executive order no. 47.3 is an abuse of the governor’s authority and discretion, and unlawfully intrudes upon the county’s powers of home rule,” County Executive Anthony Picente stated.
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin stated that he would defy the order, calling it “reprehensible and vicious.”
“Just when you think Hochul can’t get worse, she finds a way,” McLaughlin posted to X. “Preventing Corrections Officers from seeking employment with counties is reprehensible and vicious but that’s exactly who Kathy Hochul is. Like I do with everything else regarding her idiotic statements and actions, I will ignore this as well. I will hire as many as I can here in #RensselaerCounty and I dare you to sue me and the individual CO’s as they seek gainful employment Hochul. If you think I'm going to listen to a feckless hack like you, you should ask Cuomo how I rejected his insanity when he tried to force seniors into nursing homes.”