New York State is facing criticism after Chief Judge Rowan Wilson appointed actress Cynthia Nixon to the Commission on Judicial Nomination, a panel responsible for recommending candidates for the state's highest judicial positions. Nixon, known for her role as attorney Miranda Hobbes in "Sex and the City," is one of four commission members who are not required to be licensed attorneys in New York.
Republicans have been particularly vocal in their opposition. State Senator Anthony Palumbo, R-Suffolk, the top Republican on the New York Senate Judiciary Committee, stated that Nixon's appointment should "alarm every New Yorker" and suggested that "political activism appears to be a requirement for consideration to serve on the bench." Palumbo further asserted that the selection of a "far-left, non-lawyer, Hollywood actress" reinforces the perception that New York's courts have become "entirely partisan."
Critics have pointed to Nixon's lack of legal qualifications, with some online commentators drawing parallels to other actors who have played professional roles on screen. One user suggested that actor Noah Wyle, who played a doctor on "ER," could be considered for Surgeon General, while another humorously asked if they should prepare their resume for NASA after a childhood role as an astronaut.
Nixon, an activist aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, previously ran for governor in 2018 and has supported New York politicians including former Mayor Bill de Blasio and current Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Her appointment comes after Governor Kathy Hochul's initial nominee for Chief Judge, Hector LaSalle, was reportedly blocked by state Senate Democrats and labor groups who deemed him too conservative.
One Democrat, Assemb. Kalman Yeger, D-Borough Park, expressed dismay over Nixon's selection, appearing to attribute it to the opposition against LaSalle. "The price New Yorkers will pay for the bigots and haters who took out the immensely qualified Justice LaSalle is that Cynthia Nixon now gets to vet the judiciary," Yeger tweeted, referencing the state's motto.
Republicans are also set to have a representative on the commission. State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, R-Niagara Falls, has an appointment to fill a recent vacancy, according to the Albany Times-Union. The commission's role is to evaluate and recommend nominees for the Court of Appeals, a process that could be influenced by the political considerations that led to LaSalle's rejection.