Several New York Counties Respond To Hochul Order Regarding Correctional Officers

Alright, let’s talk about the absolute chaos unfolding in New York right now, because Governor Kathy Hochul just pulled off one of the most controversial moves we’ve seen in a long time—firing 2,000 correctional officers and then banning them from working for the state ever again. And not just at the state level, either. Her executive order bars them from getting hired at any government job, even at the county level.

Now, if that sounds extreme, you’re not alone. Several counties are saying, Nope, not happening, and they’re gearing up for a full-blown legal battle. We’re talking about Chemung County, Oneida County, and Rensselaer County—three places that have made it crystal clear they’re not playing along with Hochul’s sweeping ban.

Let’s start with Chemung County. They just filed a lawsuit arguing that Hochul’s order is flat-out unlawful. Sheriff William Schrom didn’t mince words: “We are taking this action to protect our ability to staff our jail with experienced personnel and to stand against unconstitutional overreach.” Translation? We need officers, and you don’t get to tell us who we can or can’t hire.

Meanwhile, Oneida County is right there with them. Their Board of Legislators just gave the green light for a lawsuit, calling Hochul’s move an abuse of power. County Executive Anthony Picente put it bluntly: “Executive order no. 47.3 is an abuse of the governor’s authority and discretion, and unlawfully intrudes upon the county’s powers of home rule.” That’s legal-speak for, You’ve overstepped, and we’re coming for you.

And then there’s Rensselaer County, where County Executive Steve McLaughlin is taking a more direct approach: straight-up defiance. He posted on X (formerly Twitter), calling Hochul’s ban “reprehensible and vicious” and making it clear he’s not backing down.

“Like I do with everything else regarding her idiotic statements and actions, I will ignore this as well,” he wrote. And here’s the kicker: he dared Hochul to sue him and the individual officers he plans to hire. That’s the kind of energy that turns a political fight into a spectacle.

But let’s back up for a second. Why did Hochul fire 2,000 correctional officers in the first place? Because they were striking over dangerous understaffing conditions in New York’s prisons. And guess what? The prisons were already struggling before this strike. There were 2,000 vacancies in the system—so firing 2,000 more officers just made an already-bad situation worse.

So what’s the governor’s grand solution? The National Guard. Yep, she deployed troops—who have zero correctional training—to take over. And it’s been a disaster. These guardsmen are sleeping on gym floors, and some have leaked photos showing the rough conditions they’re dealing with.

And here’s an even bigger problem: Since they were activated under state orders, they’re not eligible for Veterans Affairs benefits if they get injured. That means if something goes wrong—and in a prison, something will go wrong—these troops are on their own.