Gov. Kathy Hochul ducked any mention of a clamored-for ban on wearing masks in public during her State of the State Tuesday — a notable omission that drew condemnation from a potential election rival.
Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres, who’s eyeing a Democratic primary run against Hochul next year, noted Hochul didn’t mention “antisemitism” either during her speech or in a 140-page policy booklet for 2025.
“Not one mention of ‘antisemitism’ in a 140-page document,” Torres said. “Not one mention of ‘antisemitism’ in an hour long speech.”
Civil rights leaders and Jewish activists have been looking to reinstate a ban that was lifted during COVID-19, saying the lack of a ban allows criminals and hate mongers to mask their identities — an issue that was became a talking point during a series of anti-Israel protests in the days since the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on the Jewish State.
“The scandal is not that Kathy Hochul is failing to combat antisemitism. The scandal is that she is not even trying,” Torres said in a statement on X.
The congressman also sent a letter to Hochul, urging her to include legislation in her upcoming executive budget plan outlawing mask wearing, and noted that a recent poll found that 75% of New York voters back such a ban to combat hate.
“Contrary to false narratives, mask bans have a long history of defending civil rights rather than endangering them,” Torres wrote in his letter to Hochul. “In the early 20th century, scores of states passed anti-masking legislation in order to unmask the KKK.”
“No one at the time—except the KKK and its sympathizers—would have said that the KKK had a First Amendment Right to mask itself,” he went on.
“The people of New York need decisive action from a governor who has been absentee in the fight to unmask hate.”
Democratic strategist Jon Reinish also was surprised that antisemitism was excluded from Hochul’s speech. He praised the governor for being forceful on the issue last year.
She visited Israel following the 2023 attacks and ordered an independent probe of antisemitism and other forms of discrimination at CUNY.
“Jews are terrified and looking to the governor for leadership. Jews will note the absence of discussing antisemitism in her signature speech of the year,” Reinish said.
Hochul’s office fired back at Torres, a former New York City councilman, saying it’s his latest attempt at grandstanding.
“We’re not surprised that Ritchie ‘Defund the Police’ Torres is once again wrong about a public safety issue: the truth is that today’s State of the State presentation featured a Long Island rabbi who discussed Governor Hochul’s efforts to fight antisemitism,” Hochul spokesman Avi Small said.
“Governor Hochul fought to fix the bail `reform’ supported by City Councilman Ritchie Torres and because of her efforts hate crimes are now also bail-eligible,” the Hochul rep added.
Torres opposes defunding the police but the Hochul camp had attacked his prior liberal views on criminal justice and immigration issues.
