Clinton endorses N.Y. Gov. Hochul, slams Trump in Dem Party speech

Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday endorsed New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who accepted the state Democratic Party's nomination to be governor in the 2022 election.

Clinton praised Hochul, who is seeking to become the first woman elected to be governor of New York. She became governor in August when former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment.

Clinton was the keynote speaker at the New York State Democratic Committee Convention in Manhattan.

"She is a governor for all of us," Clinton said of Hochul.

"And, by the way, isn't it about time that the state that gave birth to the women's suffrage movement, the state that has always been at the forefront of progress and reform, isn't it about time we elect a woman as our governor?"

Hochul faced shouts from some members of the crowd who changed the name of U.S. Tom Suozzi, who also sought the Democratic nomination to be governor.

Hochul said she was "proud to acknowledge dissent in our party."

"I'm also proud to receive 85% of the vote in this room."

During her keynote speech, Clinton took aim at former President Donald Trump, her rival in the 2016 presidential election, and his supporters. She referenced the investigation by special counsel John Durham, who is looking into the Russia investigation.

"They've been coming after me again," she said.

"It's fine, the more trouble Trump gets into, the wilder the charges and conspiracy theories about me seem to get, so now his accountants have fired him and investigations draw closer to him."