Matthew Van Houten, the elected Tompkins County District Attorney, faces ongoing scrutiny over his 2024 handling of a Cornell University sexual assault case that his office declined to prosecute. In early October 2026, Governor Kathy Hochul removed him from that specific matter and assigned special prosecutor duties to Attorney General Letitia James, while a county legislator proposed an independent audit of office practices on sexual assault cases for consideration later in the month. No resignation, recall petition, or formal removal proceeding has advanced, and Van Houten’s current term extends well beyond November 30. Traders assign 95.5% probability to “No” because New York district attorneys serve fixed elected terms with limited interim removal options absent extraordinary action, and recent developments remain confined to one case review rather than broader displacement. Late developments such as an unexpected personal decision or escalated legislative intervention could still shift the outcome before the deadline.