By The American Tribune | Created at 2025-04-02 10:29:35 | Updated at 2025-04-03 11:04:18
1 day ago
The far-left Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, held a hysterical press conference in which she lashed out at President Donald Trump for moving to end New York City’s oppressive congestion pricing. During her rant, she compared the president to a king and vowed to oppose him at all costs.
For context, on February 19, 2025, the Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy wrote her a letter seeking to end the oppressive tolls on New York City Highways, which ranged from less than a dollar to over $35, depending on the congestion. The president has expressed concerns that these tolls negatively impact working-class Americans.
In any case, the Governor’s bizarre rant, which was posted the same day as the letter, featured melodramatic proclamations about Trump. She began, “At 1:01 pm today, the New York US Department of Transportation emailed us a letter from Secretary Duffy announcing their attempt to end the congestion pricing program in the state of New York. At 1:58 pm, President Donald Trump tweeted Long live the king.”
Continuing her theatrics, Hochul compared Trump to a monarch. She added, “I’m here to say York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years. We are not sure as hell. Are not going to start now, the streets of the city where battles were fought. We stood up to a king, and we won. Then, in case you don’t know, New Yorkers, we’re in a fight. We do not back down, not now, not ever.
The controversy began with Sean Duffy’s letter, emphasizing that the congestion charges had grown beyond their intended scope. He wrote, “Dear Governor Hochul: I am writing to you concerning the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) approval of the Central Business District (CBD) Tolling Program (CBDTP)… Under the agreement, the FHWA approved the CBDTP as an exception to the general rule prohibiting tolling on highways. Congress approved the VPPP exception in 1991 as a pilot to test congestion reduction techniques. New York is one of 15 States authorized to implement the program.”
Adding to the letter, Duffy stressed the impact of the charges on working people. The transportation secretary said, “I share the President’s concerns about the impacts to working class Americans who now have an additional financial burden to account for in their daily lives. Users of the highway network within the CBD tolling area have already financed the construction and improvement of these highways through the payment of gas taxes and other taxes.”
Watch Hochul’s freak out here:
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NY Governor Kathy Hochul is UNHINGED!
Hochul whimpering about laboring under King Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/INX8GDeWbY
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) February 19, 2025
Building on that point, he explained that many computers do not have any other options and must pay these extortionate fees. Duffy added, “The recent imposition of this CBDTP pilot project upon residents, businesses, and commuters left highway users without any free highway alternative on which to travel within the relevant area. Moreover, the revenues generated under this pilot program are directed toward the transit system as opposed to the highways they use. I do not believe that this is a fair deal.”
Concluding his argument, Duffy explained why he wants to end the congestion pricing. He wrote, “In light of the President’s concerns about the CBDTP pilot project, the legal challenges that have been made, as well as the concerns expressed by New Jersey Governor Murphy and New Jersey Commissioner O’Connor, I reviewed the tolling authority granted under VPPP to the CBDTP pilot project for compliance with Federal law. For the reasons explained below, I have concluded that the scope of this pilot project as approved exceeds the authority granted by Congress under VPPP.”
Featured image from embedded video
