Fault New York progressives for the shocking Harvey Weinstein ruling
If you’re disappointed with the decision to overturn Harvey Weinstein’s sex-crimes conviction by New York’s top court, then state Sen. Mike Gianaris is the one to blame.
The Queens Democrat, along with his progressive allies, orchestrated the appointment of Rowan Wilson as the chief judge. After two other members of the Court of Appeals recused themselves in this case, Wilson selected two additional judges, and all three, along with another left-leaning judge, issued a 4-3 ruling that changed New York law and mandated a retrial for Weinstein.
For a hundred years, the state had allowed prosecutors to introduce witnesses to testify about the accused’s actions in incidents not specified in the indictment, which was done in Weinstein’s trial. However, Wilson and the other judges deemed this practice unfair, potentially allowing Harvey to go free.
Weinstein’s legal team may use this New York decision to challenge his conviction in California for similar crimes.
This outcome was exactly what Gianaris, state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and their group had envisioned in the controversy that led to Wilson’s appointment.
Initially, Governor Hochul had chosen Judge Hector LaSalle as the chief judge, but he was deemed too centrist by the progressives, who wanted a judge more sympathetic to their causes, including expanding rights for accused criminals.
Therefore, they worked to thwart LaSalle’s nomination and eventually pushed for Wilson’s appointment, despite the risks involved.
This move not only supported their efforts for gerrymandering but also set a precedent for progressive decisions to be made without legislative approval.
It is likely that there will be more controversial rulings led by Wilson, highlighting the progressive agenda without the need for legislative backing.
To combat this damage, it is essential to hold all elected Democrats accountable for enabling extreme progressive actions and consider voting them out of office in the upcoming elections.
