NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday that she’s appointing Rep. Antonio Delgado as the new lieutenant governor of New York state after Brian Benjamin resigned last month following his arrest in a federal corruption investigation.
The governor tweeted the news Tuesday morning, calling Delgado, 45, “an outstanding leader and public servant.”
“I look forward to working with him to usher in a new era of fairness, equity, and prosperity for communities across the State,” Hochul tweeted. “We share a belief in working together to get things done for New Yorkers, and Representative Delgado has an incredible record of doing just that in Congress.”
“With Antonio Delgado by my side serving as Lieutenant Governor, we will both make history – and make a difference,” the governor wrote.
Delgado, who grew up in Schenectady, was elected in 2018 to represent New York's 19th congressional district, which includes the Catskills and mid-Hudson Valley regions. He is the first person of color to represent Upstate New York in Congress.
"Upstate, downstate, doesn't matter. We all want the same things, security, family, and opportunity," Delgado said in a statement announcing his appointment. "The key is to listen to New Yorkers from all walks of life and then be their voice to get the job done."
Hochul's reelection bid hit a hurdle last month when Benjamin was charged in a bribery scheme and resigned from his hand-picked post. He has pleaded not guilty.
Federal prosecutors allege Benjamin accepted bribes, in the form of illegal campaign contributions, during a failed run for New York City comptroller.
Hochul praised state lawmakers on Monday after they introduced a bill that will effectively remove Benjamin from the June primary ballot.
"This is not for me. It’s for future cases as well, for any office, if someone is accused of a crime," the governor said.
Benjamin tweeted Monday that he would “sign the necessary paperwork to remove myself from the ballot.”
“I am innocent of these unsubstantiated charges,” he wrote. “However, I would be unable to serve under these circumstances. I want to thank all of my constituents and supporters for giving me the opportunity to serve.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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