Tedisco and Tague Call for Legislative Hearing to Investigate Collusion Among Hochul Admin, NYS IG & Limo Task Force Chairs to Hide State Negligence in Schoharie Limo Crash

Senator Jim Tedisco and Assemblyman Chris Tague today are calling on the Senate and Assembly Transportation and Investigations Committees to use their subpoena power and hold a joint legislative public hearing over potential collusion among the Hochul Administration, the New York State Inspector General (IG) and the New York State Stretch Limousine Passenger Safety Task Force Co-Chairs to hide state agency negligence in the 2018 Schoharie limo crash that took the lives of 20 people.

The NYS Stretch Limousine Passenger Safety Task Force’s Final Report is due October 1^st.  

However, several members of the Task Force, including parents of limo crash victims, along with Senator Tedisco and Assemblyman Tague, have urged a delay in the release of the report so the Task Force can thoroughly review the findings of the IG’s ongoing investigation of the horrific Schoharie Limo crash. 

The Task Force is co-chaired by Hochul appointees Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Commissioner Mark Schroeder and Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez.  IG Lucy Lang also is appointed by Hochul and reports to the Governor’s office.

In 2021, the National Transportation Safety Board said the NYS DOT and DMV share the blame in the Schoharie crash with Prestige limousine operators as they had multiple opportunities to permanently remove the vehicle from operation but failed. That prompted Senator Tedisco to request the IG investigate the DOT and DMV’s role in the crash. Despite Tedisco’s FOIL request, which was denied, and his repeated calls for the IG to announce the findings of her year-and-a-half-long investigation, she has refused any transparency or provided daylight on the matter.

“It certainly appears that the Hochul Administration may be colluding with the Inspector General and the Limo Task Force Co-Chairs to play election year stall ball on the Schoharie limo crash investigation so the families of those who lost loved ones and the public at large don’t see the full extent of state agency malfeasance until after November 8^th.  We are calling on the Senate and Assembly Chairs of the Transportation and Investigations Committees to use their subpoena power and haul these apparatchiks into a hearing room under oath so we can finally get some real answers and justice for the families, and ultimately enhance the safety of all New Yorkers. Without this critical information, any so-called ‘final report’ by the Limo Task Force will be meaningless.,” said Senator Jim Tedisco, who represents several of the victims and their families.  

“The tragic day where we lost 20 people in a horrific limo crash in 2018 will never be forgotten in our community. The Hochul Administration, NYS IG and Limo Task Force are withholding critical information to figure out what really happened to cause such a tragedy. After a year and a half long investigation, we are still waiting for answers. We need transparency,” said Assemblyman Chris Tague.