For weeks, New York state Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt was waiting for Gov. Kathy Hochul to launch a legal challenge over a key committee's rejection of her nominee to lead the state Court of Appeals, Hector LaSalle.
But that lawsuit from Hochul never came.
Last week, Republican state Sen. Anthony Palumbo ended up being the plaintiff in the case to force a full floor vote for LaSalle, whose nomination has remained in limob ever since the Senate Judiciary Committee in January turned him down to become chief judge.
"There is no coordination with the governor," Ortt said Monday at an unrelated news conference.
Ortt said Hochul's office "has seemed unwilling, unable to formulate a strategy" to get LaSalle confirmed. Conversations with Hochul's office on the confirmation have been largely one sided, he said.
"I sort of expected her to file something on this. It's her nominee. She hasn't withdrawn his name, he hasn't withdrawn his name," Ortt said. "He's just sort of dangling out there."
"The (Republican) conference has said pretty much one thing the whole time: We believe Judge LaSalle should get a floor vote," he added.
Hochul had pointedly not ruled out suing to force a full vote, but so far has not done so. On Monday, Hochul in Rochester called the GOP-led suit "unexpected."
Democrats in the state Senate have blasted the Republican-backed lawsuit and have said Hochul should nominate a new chief judge candidate for consideration.
Labor unions and progressive advocates had opposed LaSalle's nomination even before Hochul announced it in late December, pointing to rulings that have affected labor leaders as well as criminal justice issues.
LaSalle at the confirmation hearing called the criticism a distortion of his record.
Republicans, meanwhile, have not committed one way or the other to supporting LaSalle's nomination.
"I couldn't even tell you how members -- I'm sure there are some members who want to vote for Judge LaSalle, I'm sure there are some members who have questions for Judge LaSalle," Ortt said.