NEW YORK (WCBS 880) -- Gov. Kathy Hochul is reportedly considering a former New York City health commissioner under Mayor Bill de Blasio to take Dr. Howard Zucker’s place at the New York State level.
Hochul is in “conversations” with Mary Bassett for the position which Zucker resigned from Thursday, according to the New York Post.
“She is under very serious consideration and I have in turn expressed my support of her to the administration,” State Senate Health Committee Chairman Gustavo Rivera told The Post.
Zucker, who was appointed to his position by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2015, will remain in the role until the position is filled.
The commissioner, who appeared alongside Cuomo at many of his pandemic briefings, previously came under fire for his role in the former governor's handling of COVID-19 in nursing homes across the state.
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Bassett was the city’s health commissioner from 2014-2018, before stepping down and moving over to Harvard University.
Bassett resigned amid an inquiry into why the agency didn’t send reports to NYCHA on elevated blood lead levels of kids in public housing, The Post said. She denied her leaving was in connection to the controversy.
Bassett would reportedly become the first black health commissioner of the state, and the third appointed female health commissioner.