Actress Cynthia Nixon has been appointed to serve on the Commission on Judicial Nomination, a panel tasked with screening candidates for vacancies on the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court. New York Chief Judge Rowan Wilson appointed Nixon, 60, to the unpaid position, where her term runs through April 30, 2030.
Nixon, best known for her role as Miranda Hobbes in the television series "Sex and the City," has a history of political activism. In 2018, she ran for Governor of New York. Her advocacy work has focused on public school funding, abortion access, breast cancer awareness, and LGBTQ equality. She also served on the inaugural committee for Mayor Zohran Mamdani and advised on his early policy agenda.
The Commission on Judicial Nomination solicits applications from diverse candidates and then selects nominees to forward to the Governor, who makes the final appointment with the advice and consent of the State's Senate Judiciary Committee. The commission typically includes members with legal backgrounds, and Nixon, while having played a lawyer on television, is described as an activist and former actress and director.
Nixon's past public statements have drawn attention, including a 2021 tweet in which she suggested that "desperate people shouldn't be prosecuted" for stealing basic necessities. This statement followed her observation that a local CVS had begun locking up items like detergent due to theft. Nixon's appointment has drawn criticism from some legal professionals who expressed concern that it further politicizes the judiciary.