A day after issuing its formal recommendation, the State Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday confirmed Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore to become the next Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals.
DiFiore, 60, a Democrat who has served as the Westchester District Attorney since 2006, previously served as a Westchester County Court Judge for three years and as a Supreme Court Justice for the state criminal courts in the 9th Judicial District for more than two years. She becomes the second woman and the first Italian-American to be a chief judge in New York’s history.
She was nominated for the post of highest state judge by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat, on Dec. 1., who at the time of the nomination said she was “tremendously qualified” to fill the position.
She replaces Chief Judge Jonathan Lippmann, who retired at the end of last year after holding the post since February 2009.
The 23-member State Senate Judiciary Committee was expected to confirm DiFiore on Wednesday, but, citing scheduling issues, postponed the vote to Thursday. The committee is headed by Chairman John J. Bonacic, a Republican representing Mount Hope in Orange County. DiFiore was confirmed with no opposition, although State Sen. Tony Avella, a Democrat representing the 11th district in Queens County, abstained from the vote, citing pending litigation involving both him and DiFiore.
DiFiore, a former Republican before switching parties in 2007, received widespread support and words of praise from members of the judiciary committee Thursday.
State Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson, a Democrat representing the 36th district that includes Mount Vernon and portions of the Bronx, called her a “mover and a shaker” in remarks before the state senate Thursday.
State Sen. David Carlucci, a Democrat who represents the 38th district that includes Ossining and the towns of Ramapo, Clarkstown and Orangetown in Rockland County, said it has been a “great privilege” to serve alongside DiFiore over the years, and praised her accomplishments in Westchester. DiFiore spearheaded efforts in 2008 to create the Westchester Intelligence Center, which facilitates information sharing between more than 40 local police departments and state and federal law enforcement groups.
“That experience and that work ethic are going to serve the entire state very well,” Carlucci said.
Robert Wolf, the deputy communications director for the Westchester County District Attorney’s office, said Thursday that a special election will be held in November to fill DiFiore’s vacancy. First Deputy District Attorney James McCarty will serve as the acting District Attorney of Westchester County in the interim, officials said late Thursday.
