Hochul accused of ‘hit job’ on behalf of teachers’ unions in act of ‘pure censorship’: labor group

New York Democratic Gov.

Kathy Hochul is being accused of conducting a "hit job" on free speech on behalf of teachers unions after she signed a law giving the state attorney general the power to fine groups deemed to be engaged in deceptive communications that falsely appear to be authorized by a union.

Hochul signed a law last week prohibiting people and organizations from using deceptive communications that falsely appear to be authorized by a union or union representative.

The law, which took immediate effect, allows Democratic Attorney General Letitia James to investigate and sue to stop alleged violations, including those involving out-of-state groups.

Courts can impose fines of up to $1,000 per incident.

In response, the Freedom Foundation, a conservative nonprofit that campaigns against public-sector unions, including teachers’ unions, says New York ’s new law is a targeted effort to silence its outreach by making its communications vulnerable to government investigations, lawsuits and fines.

CEO Aaron Withe called the law a "hit job." He said the law "isn’t about protecting anyone," adding that it instead "exists because government unions in New York are terrified of an inconvenient fact: when public employees learn they don’t have to pay union dues, a lot of them stop.

So instead of making their case to their own members, union bosses ran to their friends in the legislature and got them to write a law that makes speech illegal." NATION’S LARGEST TEACHERS UNION UNDER FIRE AS CONTROVERSIAL AGENDA PUTS CENTURY-OLD FEDERAL CHARTER AT RISK Fox News Digital reached out to Hochul's and James' offices for comment.

Fox News Digital also reached out to the New York State United Teachers, United Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO for comment.

The law allows James to investigate alleged violations, issue subpoenas and ask a court to block communications deemed deceptive.

Courts can impose fines of up to $1,000 per violation, including against organizations outside New York.

The New York State American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (NYS AFL-CIO) praised Hochul’s decision to sign the bill, which she signed along with two other pieces of legislation related to labor rights.

Mario Cilento, president of NYS AFL-CIO, remarked that the law will be "holding individuals accountable for fraudulently claiming to be union representatives." He said the slate of bills signed by Hochul "put workers first." In an X post, Hochul similarly framed the bills as prioritizing workers, writing, "Today marks a new day with even more protections, because I’ll never stop fighting for our workers." "New York State gave birth to the labor movement.