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A28 u.s. news
Diaranson 25 augustus 2021

‘No blindsiding,’ Hochul vows as she takes helm in New York

(AP) — On her first day at ment. Now, for the first time, two
the helm, New York Gov. of those three — Hochul
Kathy Hochul said she will “I want people to believe in and Senate Majority Leader
mandate masks in schools. their government again,” she Andrea Stewart-Cousins —
said. “It’s important to me are women. Only the state
The Democrat also said that people have faith.” Assembly is led by a man,
Tuesday afternoon that she Speaker Carl Heastie.
wants all school staff to be She noted that she had al-
vaccinated or tested week- ready begun speaking with Hochul met with those two
ly for the coronavirus. She other Democratic leaders leaders Tuesday morning be-
said she consulted multiple who have, for years, com- fore a planned public address
stakeholders, from parents to plained about being shut out at 3 p.m. Both Stewart-Cous-
teachers, to figure out how to of key decisions and of being ins and Heastie emerged say-
safely get students back into bullied by Cuomo, including ing that they appreciated her
school and protect the envi- New York City Mayor Bill de “collaborative” tone, and that
ronment so they could learn. Blasio. they were ready to work with
her to get COVID-19 re-
She said accomplishing this “There’ll be no blindsiding; lief funds to New Yorkers in
goal requires buy-in from all there’ll just be full coopera- need more quickly. get federal rent relief money edly became governor when
levels of government. The tion,” Hochul said. into the hands of tenants. Lit- his predecessor resigned, said
state is launching a back-to- Cuomo left office at mid- tle of the $2 billion set aside she will need to restore faith.
school testing program and Hochul also thanked her night, two weeks after he by the federal government
she plans to announce addi- “big Irish Catholic” family, announced he would resign to help New Yorkers pay off “There’s going to be some
tional school-related policies including her two children rather than face an impeach- rent debt has been distrib- pressure on Gov. Hochul,
later this week. and Bill Hochul, her hus- ment battle that appeared uted. Thousands face the as there was on me, to kind
band of over 30 years. Her inevitable after a report by possibility of eviction after of restore the values and to
Kathy Hochul became the immediate family sat in the independent investigators state and federal protections restore the conduct and the
first female governor of New front row, wearing masks and — overseen by state Attor- expire. decorum that bespeaks a gov-
York on Tuesday, vowing to spaced slightly apart. Hochul, ney General Letitia James ernor,” Paterson said.
bring new energy and ur- her daughter and daughter-in — concluded he had sexually Hochul promised Tuesday to
gency to solving immense law wore white to honor suf- harassed 11 women. make getting that money out She’ll also have to work
challenges as she took over fragists. a top priority, saying people quickly. Hochul has already
an administration criticized On his final day in office, shouldn’t have to “wait one said she intends to run for a
for inaction during Andrew Over the next few months, Cuomo released a recorded second longer.” She also full term next year and will
Cuomo’s distracted final Hochul, who was little farewell address in which he pledged quick action to dis- have just months to establish
months in office. known as lieutenant gover- again said he was innocent tribute money from a new $2 herself as the favorite before
nor, will have an opportu- and portrayed himself as the billion state fund intended to a spring Democratic primary.
Hochul, a Democrat and for- nity to reshape Albany, where victim of a “media frenzy.” benefit unauthorized immi-
mer member of Congress Cuomo dominated decision- grants who didn’t qualify for In the meantime, she’ll be
from western New York, making for years before being Hochul takes over a state still other types of federal pan- building an administra-
took the oath of office just felled in a sexual harassment dealing with the coronavirus demic relief aid. tion — a task that began in
after midnight in a brief, pri- scandal. pandemic. the first minutes of Tuesday
vate event overseen by the “The money’s there,” Ho- with the oath of office, hours
state’s chief judge, Janet Di- For generations, it’s been In the coming weeks, she is chul said. “These people are ahead of the restaging of the
Fiore. said that all of the real deci- expected to decide whether not eligible for other forms of event for television cameras
sions in the state government to require masks for children assistance, and they’re hurt- in mid-morning.
At a ceremonial swearing-in were made by “three men in returning to school, some- ing and they’re part of the
later Tuesday morning at the a room” — the governor and thing she has already said she New York family.” DiFiore administered the
State Capitol, Hochul prom- the leaders of the state Senate favors. oath in the Capitol in front of
ised a “fresh, collaborative and Assembly. Former Gov. David Paterson, a stone fireplace, atop which
approach” in state govern- She will be under pressure to who, like Hochul, unexpect- were placed family pictures.

S.D. court may unseal investigation of billionaire Sanford

(AP) — The South Dakota tion into billionaire bank- The court documents are Publica and the Sioux Falls they were not authorized to
Supreme Court Tuesday er-turned-philanthropist sealed and refer only to “an Argus Leader — that report- discuss it.
weighed whether to un- T. Denny Sanford for pos- implicated individual,” and ed last year Sanford had been
seal a search warrant and sible possession of child attorneys did not name San- investigated for possession of Attorney General Jason
affidavits in an investiga- pornography. ford as they made their argu- child pornography. Ravnsborg determined there
ments. However, one person was sufficient evidence to
briefed on the case by law The 85-year-old is the state’s move toward prosecuting
enforcement told The Asso- richest man, worth an esti- Sanford, but passed the case
ciated Press that the hearing mated $2.8 billion, but has to the U.S. Department of
involved Sanford and a legal vowed to “die broke,” and Justice because it spanned
effort by media organizations his name adorns dozens of to Arizona, California and
to unseal court records in the buildings and institutions in Nebraska, according to both
investigation. The person de- South Dakota and beyond. people.
manded anonymity because
they were not authorized to ProPublica first reported that Federal prosecutors have giv-
discuss the investigation. South Dakota investigators en no indication that they are
had obtained a search war- bringing charges against San-
The attorneys at the hear- rant, citing four unidentified ford, and Ravnsborg has not
ing also matched the lawyer sources. Two people briefed dropped plans to prosecute
representing Sanford, former on the matter by law enforce- him if the Justice Depart-
South Dakota Attorney Gen- ment confirmed the inves- ment declines, according to
eral Marty Jackley, and those tigation to the AP. They de- both people.
for two media outlets — Pro- manded anonymity because