NY Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, both of whom have long been vocal critics and adversaries of Donald Trump, expressed their commitment to defending New York against any potential “revenge or retribution” following the anticipated return of President-elect Trump to the White House.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Hochul extended congratulations to Trump while also praising his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for running a campaign that highlighted important issues affecting the nation.

She recognized that the election results may not align with the hopes of many, but reassured New Yorkers that the state has faced challenges before and emerged stronger.

“That’s why I have the confidence in my team and all those we work closely with that we will get through the uncertainty of a new administration in Washington because, as I said, we’ve done this before,” Hochul remarked. “I want to be very clear that while we honor the results of this election and will work with anyone who wants to be a partner in achieving the goals of our administration in our state, that does not mean we’ll accept an agenda from Washington that strips away the rights that New Yorkers have long enjoyed.”

The governor reminded citizens that New York is the cradle of several critical movements, including those for women’s rights, environmental justice, LGBTQ rights, and labor rights. She pledged that the state would continue to serve as a “bastion” of liberty and uphold the rule of law.

Additionally, Hochul unveiled the Empire State Freedom Initiative, a new program aimed at protecting areas she and other state officials believe could be threatened by the Trump administration. The initiative will focus on safeguarding reproductive rights, civil rights, immigration, gun safety, labor rights, and environmental justice.

“Our team will do whatever we have to do to identify any possible threats to these rights that we hold dear in the state of New York and protect New Yorkers,” Hochul stated. “This will include legislation, rulemaking, appropriations and partnerships with our congressional delegation and including the Biden administration at this time.”

The governor called on Trump to support New York’s efforts to secure funding for critical infrastructure, particularly for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and to back economic development initiatives, such as those supported by the Chips and Science Act.

“I will work with him or anybody, regardless of party, on these kinds of efforts that I know will benefit the state of New York,” Hochul affirmed. “However, if you try to harm New Yorkers or rollback their rights, I will fight you every step of the way. New Yorkers are resilient. We fought the first time around, and we’ll fight again.”

James also offered her congratulations to Trump but with a clear sense of resistance. She assured the people of New York that state officials, including her office, would collaborate with the Trump administration “if possible,” but would not compromise the state’s values or principles in the process.

“We did not expect this result, but we are prepared to respond to this result. And my office has been preparing for several months because we’ve been here before,” James remarked. “We faced this challenge before, and we used the rule of law to fight back. And we are prepared to fight back once again because, as the attorney general of this great state, it is my job to protect and defend the rights of New Yorkers and the rule of law. And I will not shrink from that responsibility.”

Between 2019 and 2021, James pointed out that her office had taken nearly 100 legal actions against Trump’s prior administration, including challenging attempts to cap state and local taxes, eliminate funding for law enforcement, and attack other key policies.

James also highlighted her office’s efforts to protect the Affordable Care Act, block the inclusion of a citizenship question on the census, and halt the dismantling of the U.S. Postal Service.

She expressed confidence in her understanding of the Trump administration’s tactics, noting that her team is prepared with a contingency plan to counter any actions that could harm the state.

“We’re ready to respond to any attempts to cut or eliminate any funding to the great state of New York, as the governor outlined,” James stated. “So, despite what has happened on the national stage, we will continue to stand tall in the face of injustice, revenge or retribution.”

“This is not the time to be fearful, New York, but faithful and steadfast, knowing that I, as the attorney general, along with my entire team, we are guardians of the law, and we are prepared, my friends, to fight back,” she concluded.

{Matzav.com}