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New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Antonio Gelgado does little for $210K paycheck, records show
He wants to be New York's next governor, but Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado has been all but a no-show since getting his $210,000-a-year post three years ago, according to records and Albany insiders. Since being sworn in as Gov. Kathy Hochul's No. 2 on May 25, 2022, the lefty pol has racked up at least 411 days in which he took off or had easy shifts with only one scheduled event or meeting — or none at all, public schedules The Post obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request show. That's a whopping 41% of his first 1,011 days on the job, through Feb. 28. And his schedule has gotten only lighter since he publicly broke from Hochul in late February and announced he won't be seeking re-election, insiders said. 6 Since being sworn in May 25, 2022, New York Lt. Gov. and gubernatorial candidate Antonio Delgado has racked up at least 411 days in which he took off or had easy shifts with one – or no – scheduled events or meetings, records show. That's a whopping 41% of his first 1,011 days on the job through the end of February. Paul Martinka Delgado's schedules don't document vacations, but over the nearly three-year period he racked up a whopping 135 weekdays with no reported work. That translates into 27 weeks of vacation for an average working stiff. If you include weekends — and many statewide pols attend public events on weekends — he reported blank work schedules for 318 days, or nearly 32% of the time. 6 Delgado declined to provide information about his daily work schedules since he broke away from Gov. Kathy Hochul in February, fueling questions about what he's done since to justify his $210,000 yearly salary. Tam Nguyen/NYPost Design On dozens of other occasions, his shifts included one work-day activity: a half-hour or hour-long call with staff. The former two-term Hudson County congressman has since been plotting his campaign – which he announced Monday – to challenge Hochul in next year's Democratic primary, while still collecting a paycheck as lieutenant governor. 6 Delgado listens to Hochul present her 2026 executive state budget on Jan. 21 at the state Capitol. Hans Pennink 'It's no secret that the lieutenant governor rarely showed up for a full day of work, and there were plenty of times he didn't show up at all – even for the few initiatives he claimed were his big accomplishments,' said an Albany source familiar with Delgado's work habits. 'When it comes to the last few months, it's hard to know if he's been doing his day job at all.' The state's Executive Chamber stopped providing administrative support to Delgado on Feb. 28, and the governor's office said it's 'our understanding' that since that time Delgado 'has been utilizing state Senate systems for his calendar, email and other [work] purposes.' However, Mike Murphy, a spokesman for the Senate's Democratic majority, told The Post the upper house 'has nothing to do' with Delgado's schedule, adding the lieutenant governor has not attended a Senate session since parting ways with Hochul in February. New York's lieutenant governor by law also serves as the Senate president, a largely ceremonial title that carries little weight beyond casting tie-breaking vote in the rare case its needed. Delgado's campaign fliers boast he's traveled 'over 60,000 miles to over 1,000 events' as lieutenant governor to 'hear from New Yorkers' – a claim that reads more like fiction based on his available public schedules and insider accounts. 6 Hochul and Delgado in friendlier times after capturing Democratic nominations during the June 2022 primary. Stephen Yang His campaign website also touts his job duties include chairing New York's Hate and Bias Prevention Unit, the state's 10 regional economic development councils, and its Council on Community Justice – and that he 'oversaw the creation of the state's very first Office of Civic and Service Engagement.' However, his public schedule show only 31 instances where Delgado attended meetings or conducted business via phone or in person related to Hate and Bias Prevention Unit; 19 times for the regional economic development councils; 10 for the OSCE, and five for the COCJ. Much of Delgado's time was spent attending parades, ribbon cuttings and heritage events. He sporadically met with top state government leaders and various elected officials. By comparison, Hochul earned a reputation as a workhorse during her nearly seven years as lieutenant governor under then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Her re-election campaign declined comment. Robert Duffy, who served as lieutenant governor from 2011 through 2014 under Cuomo, said he was flabbergasted by Delgado's work ethic and The Post's findings. 'You can't be in one corner for a couple of days here and there, and then call it a week,' said Duffy, adding the job is not 'part-time.' 'It's at a minimum, five full days a week, but probably closer … to seven days a week to fulfill your responsibilities. But then, even at that schedule, you still feel like you're not accomplishing what you should. 'So the thought of having that many days off and for that length of time is shocking to me,' added Duffy. Duffy, for example, said he averaged attending about 20 regional economic development council meetings a month. 6 Former Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy said he found The Post's findings about Delgado's work schedules 'shocking.' David McGlynn As co-chair of the Finger Lakes REDC the past decade, Duffy said he knows first-hand Delgado never attended any of its meetings since becoming Hochul's No. 2. 'He's a very nice man, very smart, but I have to question his heart about wanting to take on a job like governor with a track record like that as lieutenant governor,' added Duffy. Delgado's campaign declined to provide The Post copies of his work schedules since the February break-up with Hochul, but it provided a link to one of his social media accounts that appears to show him attending at least 85 public events from March through May. The campaign also doubled down on its claim that Delgado has attended more than 1,000 events and traveled over 60,000 miles as lieutenant governor. 'Antonio is proud to serve the people of New York,' Delgado campaign spokesman Steven Ileka said. 6 Delgado greets a guest after giving a speech during the NYREC Emerging Leaders and Markets Conference at the Victoria Renaissance Hotel on Friday in New York City. Getty Images Ileka also pointed out that 'Hochul publicly praised Antonio for doing a 'phenomenal job' as recently as July – adding 'the only thing that's changed since then' was Delgado calling on then-President Joe Biden a week later to step down as the Democratic presidential nominee even as Hochul continued to campaign for Biden. 'We understand that challenging the status quo can be hard for some to handle, but New Yorkers deserve better leadership,' Ileka said. However, longtime Democratic consultant Hank Sheinkopf said he believes Delgado has no shot at unseating Hochul, — mostly because too many New Yorkers 'don't even know Delgado's alive.' 'They have no idea what he does, who he is, and where is!' Sheinkopf said. 'He has no presence. The idea that he could be governor is ridiculous.'
NDTV
22-05-2025
- NDTV
On Camera, Chilling Moment Woman Admitted To Killing Her Baby 30 Years Ago
A New York woman calmly confessed to burning and strangling her baby boy in an Albany park about 30 years ago. A video, from the time of her interrogation in September 2024, shows the startling moment Keri Mazzuca, 52, confessed to killing her newborn son in 1997. She placed his body in a burnt cloth in a flowerbed close to the Moses statue in Albany, New York. A Freedom of Information Law request led to the release of the police interview. Mazzuca was charged with manslaughter in April 2025. The woman was interrogated last year over the death of "Baby Moses" after DNA testing on the baby's remains led investigators to her, News10 reported. Mazzuca provided a sample for the technology, which was reportedly used to apprehend Joseph James DeAngelo, the Golden State Killer, and Rex Heuermann, the alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer, The New York Post reported. According to the footage provided by the Albany County District Attorney's Office, Mazzuca confessed with apparent casual indifference after being shown a graphic image of the newborn's burned remains. She denied setting Baby Moses on fire, saying the infant had died in the bathtub during childbirth and that she had given the body to a "random person" at the park after placing it in a bag. Mazzuca calmly told the officer, "I did it," before trying to defend her horrible action when she was in her mid-twenties. "I got pregnant. I gave birth to the baby. The baby died after I gave birth in my bathtub. I was not sure of how to get rid of it," she told the cops, still not showing any remorse. Detectives told Mazzuca that her story did not add up and that an autopsy revealed Baby Moses had not died of natural causes. "I was unsure about what to do," Mazzuca calmly acknowledged, before adding, "I set the baby on fire. It was dead." Mazzuca was arrested in September 2024, 27 years after the child's death, based on DNA evidence. Judge Roger McDonough of Albany County Court sentenced Keri Mazzuca of Altamont to 25 years in jail for her role in the murder of her newborn entered a guilty plea in February. She also received a sentence for interfering with physical evidence, beginning simultaneously with the manslaughter accusation. After her release, she will also be on probation for five years.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hughes to appoint Trombley as police chief
PLATTSBURGH — Mayor Wendell Hughes plans to introduce Plattsburgh City Police Lt. Jarrod Trombley as the city's new police chief Thursday night during a Common Council meeting. Trombley's appointment, if approved by the council, will likely not be without controversy. Trombley was suspended and placed on administrative leave in September of 2024 by former Mayor Chris Rosenquest for two charges relating to misconduct, incompetence, insubordination and falsifying the numbers of hours worked, according to city documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Law request. Trombley eventually opted to sign a disciplinary settlement agreement with the city before retiring from the department Sept. 20, 2024. When Hughes took office in January after winning the November election, reinstating Trombley as lieutenant was one of the first moves he made. In February, the city hired an outside agency to lead an investigation into its police department and last fall's allegations against Tromley. The agency's findings have not yet been made available. Hughes said he was not worried about naming Trombley as police chief before he had the results of that investigation. 'Fully confident in what we've done at this point,' he told the media at a news conference Wednesday. 'I wouldn't do it if I didn't feel confident.' 'There were some charges that were put on him last year and he chose to retire … he never had his day,' Hughes added. 'But I'm fully confident in what we've done, and I know where we're at with all those allegations. I wouldn't make the recommendation if I didn't feel I was justified in doing it.' Hughes said he is putting his reputation out there for Trombley, something he wouldn't do unless he knew 'what the facts were.' 'I haven't got a final (report on the investigation), but not to say we haven't got a little oversight in some of what they saw,' he said. 'There's nothing egregious that they saw. We did some secondary stuff on our own, too. I have a new Corporation Counsel, and he was very involved in making sure the city was protected, too.' Trombley is one of three lieutenants in the department and has effectively been leading it since his reinstatement in January because there is no permanent police chief. The previous chief, Peter Mitchell, retired suddenly in September of 2024 after less than a year in the position. Shortly after Trombley's return, the search for a new police chief began and the city put out a call for applications. A committee, consisting of former Mayor James Calnon; Mayor Pro-Tem Julie Baughn; Clinton County Director of Mental Health Richele Gregory; DSS Attorney Patrick McFarlin; Former Village of Champlain Mayor/City of Plattsburgh Councilor Jeff Moore; and retired federal officer Scott Ewing, was formed to review any and all applicants received. A city news release Wednesday said 'Many inquiries were received and resulted in four Clinton County Civil Service qualified applicants. Two applicants withdrew for personal reasons and two applicants moved on in the process to be interviewed by a Police Chief search Committee.' The two finalists were Trombley and another person Hughes declined to name when asked Wednesday. Hughes said Wednesday the second finalist was not a member of the Plattsburgh City Police Department. The search committee held interviews with both candidates on May 7 then the committee met with Hughes and reviewed them. Hughes said he chose Trombley as his candidate for police chief. Additionally, Hughes is also hoping to appoint Joel Vassar as the department's new captain. 'I expect Lieutenant Trombley will prove to be an exemplary Chief for our City. He has over 20 years with the City Police Department and with the able assistance of our new Police Captain, Joel Vassar's leadership will move the department forward,' Hughes said in a statement. 'I thank them both for their willingness to serve and very much look forward to working with them as we improve Community Policing and assist those in our community facing mental health and addiction issues.' If appointments are approved by the Common Council during Thursday's meeting in the Common Council Chambers, Trombley and Vassar's new duties will begin May 16. Hughes said he 'truly' hopes to get full council support on his appointments. If approved, he said Trombley's appointment would be considered permanent since he has already passed the civil service chief test but he would be on probation for a year. Vassar's appointment would be provisional.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NYC Mayor Adams' appeal of matching campaign funds ruling denied, can't try again until mid-July
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways NEW YORK — New York City's Campaign Finance Board is sticking to its guns in denying Mayor Eric Adams more than $4 million in public matching funds for his reelection run — and will not give him another chance to challenge the decision until mid-July, the Daily News has learned. The board first denied Adams the matching funds in December 2024, citing a number of compliance issues, including his federal corruption indictment accusing him of taking bribes and illegal campaign cash from Turkish government operatives. After President Trump's Department of Justice secured a controversial dismissal of Adams' indictment in early April, his campaign filed a formal petition last week urging the board to reconsider its denial of funds. In an email to Adams campaign attorney Vito Pitta last Friday, Joseph Gallagher, the CFB's general counsel, wrote that the board is denying the request for reconsideration, reiterating that the dismissal of his indictment didn't change the panel's view that Adams likely engaged in 'violations of federal, state and/or city law.' The CFB has cited the same reasoning in reaffirming its Adams decision at multiple board meetings earlier this year. Adams has said he did nothing wrong. In Friday's email, Gallagher took it a step further, writing that the board will not consider any additional challenges from Adams until its July 15 public matching funds disbursement. The email, a copy of which was obtained by The News via a Freedom of Information Law request, said the reason the board won't give Adams another crack at changing its mind until then is because he's no longer running in the June 24 Democratic mayoral primary. 'Because the candidate is not on the primary election ballot, the next opportunity for the campaign to demonstrate its eligibility for public matching funds is the July 15, 2025 payment date,' Gallagher wrote. In the interim, Gallagher wrote the CFB 'welcomes the campaign to provide any and all documentation and/or explanations to demonstrate to the board that there is no reason to believe that the candidate, in the course of public funds program participation, engaged in conduct detrimental to the public funds program that is in violation of federal, state and/or City Law.' A spokesman for Adams' reelection campaign didn't immediately return a request for comment Wednesday. Under the law, Adams' campaign could sue to try to overturn the CFB's continued denial now that the reconsideration petition has been rejected. Shortly after the dismissal of his indictment, Adams dropped out of June's Democratic primary and announced he'd instead seek reelection as an independent candidate in November's general election. Trump's DOJ sought the dismissal saying it needed Adams to assist in the president's 'mass deportation' efforts, leaving many to say he is beholden to Trump's agenda. Adams denies there's a quid pro quo. The board barring Adams from even trying to challenge the matching funds denial until July 15 could pose a challenge for him. As an independent candidate, Adams is already facing a very narrow path to reelection in the heavily Democratic city. He is contending with record-low approval ratings and has less campaign cash on hand than several of the candidates in the Democratic primary, who have already received millions of dollars in public matching funds. Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who's polling as the favorite to win the mayoral primary, was also denied matching funds in April due to a paperwork error, but his team says he expects to get millions of dollars in the public cash later this month. The matching funds program uses public cash to match any donation mayoral candidates receive from a city resident at an 8:1 ratio up to $250. That calculation can provide for a critical cash infusion, as mayoral hopefuls need millions of dollars to staff their campaigns, pay for ads and otherwise get their messaging out. _____
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gazette weighing legal options after Wydysh denies FOIL appeal
The Niagara Gazette and the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal are weighing their legal options in light of Niagara County's continued insistence that the news outlets pay costs associated with scanning, redacting and copying public employee timesheets requested in electronic form as part of a Freedom of Information Law request filed in February. In a letter dated April 10, Niagara County Legislature Chair Rebecca Wydysh, R-Lewiston, denied the newspapers' appeal of the county's FOIL request response dated March 14. In the county's response, human resources director Peter Lopes identified 1,129 pages as 'potentially responsive' to the newspapers' request for timesheets submitted by attorneys working for the public defender's office between Jan. 1, 2023 and Feb. 10, 2025. In his letter, Lopes indicated that the county could make the documents available at a cost of $356.83. Lopes also proposed a less expensive option, estimated at $282.25, that would allow a reporter to conduct an in-person inspection of physical copies of redacted timesheets. The second option included a requirement that the reporter be accompanied by an assigned county employee, at the newspapers' cost, during the in-person inspection. 'An employee will sit with you while you inspect the records,' Lopes wrote. 'If time exceeds 120 minutes, you will be charged for that employee's time at their hourly rate.' In an appeal sent to Wydysh on behalf of the newspapers, attorney Michael Higgins from the law firm Ernstrom & Dreste in Rochester argued that the county has no legal right under state law to charge by the page for copies of documents requested in electronic form. He also suggested the county's 'purported inability to scan documents without making physical copies' stretched 'the bounds of credulity.' Higgins' appeal also asserted that the county's attempt to charge fees for administrative time to prepare photocopies of records is prohibited under state law and that it is 'improper' to charge the newspapers to allow a reporter to inspect records and to have those records redacted. 'Niagara County's attempts to charge for prohibited items and to unnecessarily copy documents to induce a charge is a transparent attempt to frustrate (the newspapers') FOIL request and avoid its obligations under the Freedom of Information Law,' Higgins wrote. In her response, Wydysh restated the county's position that it is necessary to make physical copies of the requested documents so they can be redacted and scanned because some of the attorney timesheets 'may reflect medical or sick leave that is protected under HIPAA and exempt from FOIL disclosure.' In addition, Wydysh argued, as Lopes did before her, that based on the volume of records, the human resources department would have to attach each pay period to a separate email, which would require staff time that the county would need to be reimbursed by the newspapers. 'Public Officer's Law requires an agency to send records electronically so long as the effort to effectuate that does not exceed the effort necessary for an alternative method of responding,' Wydysh wrote. 'Because of the necessity of reviewing the timesheets for compliance with HIPAA, and redacting portions of records that contain protected information, before scanning, it would be more labor intensive to scan the timesheets. In that circumstance, an agency is not required to provide the records electronically.' Wydysh, citing a section of New York's Public Officer's Law, argues that the county is permitted to charge a fee based on the cost of the storage medium used, as well as the hourly salary of the lowest paid employee who has the skill needed to fulfill the request. Wydysh noted that the county advised the newspapers that the rate in this case would be $40.17 per hour. As to the in-person inspection option, Wydysh indicates that the county would make available copies of the timesheets at a cost of 25 cents per page but would not allow a reporter to take pictures of the records. She also noted that it is the county's position that a staff member would need to sit in on the records inspection and that the newspapers would be charged 'any time over two hours.' 'The human resources department was still willing to satisfy your client's preference to receive records electronically, but your client would be charged for the time associated with copying, reviewing, redacting, scanning in the records and attaching,' Wydysh wrote in her letter denying the newspapers' appeal. The newspapers can file an Article 78 proceeding in court to challenge Wydysh's denial of their appeal to the county's initial FOIL response.
