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 RISKNew York Democratic Gov.Kathy Hochul is taking criticism over a bill she signed last week that empowers the state attorney general to investigate and fine groups deemed to be engaged in deceptive practices against labor union members.

(Adam Gray - Pool/Getty Images)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 Federa...