Lieutenant governor candidate Diana Reyna was shocked to see the arrest and indictment of former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin on Tuesday. For a state with the reputation of corruption New York has, Reyna found it embarrassing another elected official faced criminal charges.
“It was a bombshell,” Reyna said. “It’s an embarrassment. I don’t want to speak ill of Brian Benjamin — you’re innocent until proven guilty — but this is a judgement call on Kathy Hochul. A poor judgement call.”
Reyna joined Errol Louis on “Inside City Hall” Wednesday to air her criticisms of Gov. Kathy Hochul and make the case for why Democrats should select her and her running mate, Rep. Tom Suozzi, in the gubernatorial primary this June.
“As far as Governor Hochul is concerned, she’s compromised her credibility,” Reyna said, pointing to the failure of a vetting process that allowed an official under federal investigation become the state’s lieutenant governor and “move into a position where you could be the next governor.”
Reyna also offered her critique of the governor’s budget, blaming high taxes for population declines that lost New York congressional districts after the most recent census.
“Where’s the restraint? Where’s the opportunity to look for waste?” Reyna asked.
Reyna served on the City Council from 2002 to 2013 and as deputy Brooklyn borough president under then-borough president Eric Adams. She was the first Dominican-American woman elected to city office and would be the first Latina to serve in statewide office if elected.