Millionaire Blue-State Gov Roasted Over Egg Comments

New York Governor Kathy Hochul, 2022. Photo courtesy of the White House. Public domain.

New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul's Easter egg remark didn't just crack the internet — it poached her public credibility in the process.

What did she say? Why did it land like a rotten... you know?

Setting the Scene: A Joke That Fell Flat

During Spectrum's "Inside City Hall" segment, reported by the New York Post, Hochul lamented egg prices in the context of President Trump's trade tariffs, quipping, "Heaven help anybody who's going to use real eggs on Easter. I have an Easter egg roll at the Governor's Residence, inviting kids from the neighborhood over. I can't afford them."

The statement might have been intended as sarcasm, but for many New Yorkers, the punchline didn't land. The joke only gets worse after reviewing her tax returns, which showed that she and her husband — corporate attorney and former U.S. Attorney William Hochul Jr. — pulled in a combined $1,479,244 in 2024, as reported by the Daily Mail. That includes nearly $1 million from his private sector legal work, plus investment income and a tidy $250,000 state salary for the governor herself.

From Mansion to Mockery

The optics of Hochul's comment were especially sour considering the setting: the official New York Governor's Mansion in Albany, where the annual Easter Egg Roll was held — minus any real eggs this year. Critics pounced.

"She should be ashamed of herself," said Assemblyman Chris Tague, a Republican and former dairy farmer, to the New York Post. "The governor might find it amusing to make a statement like that or think she's some sort of comedian, but for millions of New Yorkers, not being able to afford eggs or even the basic necessities is no joke."

And the backlash wasn't limited to political rivals. Brooklyn Democratic Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes said to the New York Post, "She should be more concerned about whether everyday folks can afford eggs and what is she going to do about it."

State Senator Gustavo Rivera (D-Bronx) called the comment "boneheaded," and added, "Every single thing that happens, if people can't afford to eat, if people can afford their rent, if people are getting hurt as consumers, if they're losing their workers. All of it. The governor owns it. Every single [expletive] thing," according to the New York Post.

High Prices, Higher Expectations

The governor's office defended the switch to plastic eggs, citing rising costs. "The Governor was telling the truth," said spokesperson Avi Small to Times Union. "For the first time, the annual Easter Egg Roll . . . won't feature real eggs because of high costs."

Small added, "Governor Hochul is addressing the high cost of living by proposing middle-class tax cuts, inflation refunds and a massive child tax credit, which seems like a better use of taxpayers' time than bitter grumbling by well-paid state legislators."

Yet many are left asking: If the state's top executive — with access to the perks of high office and nearly $88,000 in annual charitable donations — can't afford eggs, what hope is there for a working single mom in Brooklyn?

The Disconnect That Won't Go Away

There's a reason this moment struck a nerve. New Yorkers are used to hearing politicians complain about inflation. What they're not used to is hearing it from someone whose household income is nearly 18 times the state's median.

In a state where a dozen eggs can cost $7 — and in some NYC bodegas, a shocking $16 — Hochul's comment hit like a rotten yolk.

The irony isn't just economic — it's symbolic. For constituents navigating sticker shock at every corner store, Hochul's comment didn't read as a relatable anecdote. It read as detached, tone-deaf, and, ultimately, emblematic of the growing divide between Albany and the average New Yorker.

You can't blame a politician for trying to lighten the mood. But in politics — especially in 2025 — you can blame them for reading the room wrong.

References: Dem lawmaker who raked in $1m household earnings last year moans she can't afford eggs | Kathy Hochul gets scrambled for claiming she 'can't afford' eggs for Easter event — although she, her husband raked in more than $1M last year | Photos: Egg roll at governor's mansion, minus the real eggs | Eggs are so expensive, NYC bodegas have started selling loose eggs to customers | QuickFacts: New York