Rep. Ritchie Torres claims no greater hypocrite in NY than Gov. Kathy Hochul as Dem weighs primary challenge
Bronx Rep.Ritchie Torres (D-NY) on Wednesday said there’s “no greater hypocrite’ in New York politics than Gov.
Kathy Hochul — after her campaign ripped the congressman as a flip-flopper.“New York politics has no greater hypocrite than Kathy Hochul, who was for congestion pricing before she was against it before she was for it,” Torres said in an extraordinary broadside leveled against the sitting governor by a fellow Democrat.“Hochul was for the NRA before she was against it.Even though New Yorkers give Hochul a failing grade, the NRA gave her an ‘A,'” Torres — who is eying a run to challenge Hochul in the 2026 Democratic primary election for governor — said in a statement on X.Hochul championed congestion pricing, but in June suspended the new $15 toll because she said it was too costly for struggling New Yorkers.
Many opponents suspected she “paused” the program to aid Democrats in the November election.About a week after the election, she announced a revised $9 toll — which the MTA is scheduled to implement on Jan.5 ahead of President-elect Donald Trump, a congestion pricing opponent, taking office on Jan.
20.The National Rifle Association endorsed Hochul in her 2012 run for Congress, but as governor she has backed stricter gun control measures.Torres was responding to criticism from the Hochul camp mentioned in a story in Tuesday’s Post revealing hard-left positions taken by the Bronx Democrat in a 2022 endorsement questionnaire filled out for the Jim Owles Liberal LGBT Democratic Club.Torres, in an interview with The Post, distanced himself from some of the lefty views he previously endorsed — including support of amnesty for illegal immigrants.The pol said his views have evolved since the migrant crisis erupted, and that he’s now “pro-border” security as well as “pro-immigration,” and supports the deportation of illegal aliens who are criminals.He also pivoted away from other answers given in the questionnaire,...