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Gov. Hochul dodges on whether she'll endorse Zohran Mamdani
Gov. Hochul dodges on whether she'll endorse Zohran Mamdani

Fox News

time19 hours ago

  • Politics
  • Fox News

Gov. Hochul dodges on whether she'll endorse Zohran Mamdani

Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., dodged a question about whether she would endorse New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani during an interview on Tuesday. On CNN's "Inside Politics," fill-in host Manu Raju spoke to Hochul about the deadly New York City shooting that occurred on Monday, and asked the governor to respond to Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., highlighting a post by Mamdani in which he called for defunding the police in 2020. "That's about as pathetic as it gets. I mean, seriously, going after an unelected official who said something back in 2020 when many people were, I mean, come on, give me a break," Hochul said. "Stand up to the gun lobby and show that you have the courage to do something that's actually pretty useful. Instead of just complaining about tweets. I don't talk about tweets. I don't do tweets on this. I govern, I know what I'm doing, and we have the toughest gun laws in the nation," she added. "And as I said, we are in the top. We have the number one in the large states for gun safety. That's what my job is. The governor is supposed to save her constituents, and I'm doing that every day with these tough laws," Hochul continued in response to Stefanik, a possible Republican contender for New York governor. Hochul went on to defend her own record, and argued that she has invested more money in law enforcement than any New York governor. "That's what I call funding the police. So stop deflecting," she said of Stefanik. Raju noted that it was Mamdani who called for defunding the police in 2020 and then asked Hochul if she was going to endorse him. "No, listen, that's – why do we talk about this today? There are families that are grieving. I'm sorry, you know, we're not talking politics. This is not the time and place for it," Hochul said, referring to the lives that had been affected by the shooting. Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary earlier this month. The socialist candidate received endorsements from key progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Hochul has defended Mamdani against threats from President Donald Trump, but has yet to endorse him for mayor. Mamdani will face off against Cuomo, Mayor Eric Adams, and Jim Walden, who are all running as Independents, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.

Nuclear energy czar wanted in NY. They'd make more than Gov. Hochul herself
Nuclear energy czar wanted in NY. They'd make more than Gov. Hochul herself

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Nuclear energy czar wanted in NY. They'd make more than Gov. Hochul herself

Wanted: Nuclear energy czar. Salary between $258,000 and $300,000. Responsibilities include 'spearheading and executing the company's strategy for growth in the nuclear energy sector' and developing new generation projects. Experience with advanced nuclear reactors a plus. Minimum 10 years in the nuclear energy industry required. If interested, call the New York Power Authority. NYPA, the largest public utility in the nation, is getting back into the nuclear power game. And it's willing to pony up more than Gov. Kathy Hochul's $260,000-a-year salary to find the right person. The job posting for a senior vice president for Nuclear Development dovetailed with the governor's announcement in June that she'd tapped NYPA to develop a next-generation nuclear power plant in upstate New York to power some of the energy-intensive data centers and factories with plans to establish footprints in the region. The move represents a pivot for a state that under Gov. Andrew Cuomo negotiated the shutdown of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Buchanan in Westchester County, downstate's lone nuclear-generation facility and once the source of about 25% of the region's electricity. Upstate: New nuclear power plant coming to upstate NY to supply power for energy-hungry companies Hochul goes all-in on nuclear Hochul's tasked NYPA with building a 1-gigawatt reactor in upstate New York, enough to power around 1 million homes. Plan B?: Hochul: Indian Point closed without a backup plan. How will NY cover clear energy gap? In an op-Ed published in the USA Today Network last week, Hochul writes: 'If we want to power the economy of the future, we need a clean, reliable, around-the-clock source of electricity. Advanced nuclear power can deliver that.' The move faces resistance from left-leaning groups who think the state should be spending its time adding more solar and wind power to the grid rather than chasing advanced nuclear options, some of which are not ready for the wholesale energy market. Rapidly scaling up the buildout of affordable public renewables is the only way to meet the state's science-based climate goals and lower energy bills, said Alex Patterson, the New York campaign coordinator for Public Power New York, activists and union leaders pressing NYPA to be more aggressive in carrying out the state's climate goals. 'Hochul's decision to pursue costly and slow to build nuclear energy based on promises from Donald Trump shows just how unserious she is about New Yorker's energy bills and climate future," Patterson said. NYPA operates three hydroelectric plants upstate but it has a deep history with nuclear power that dates back 50 years. In the late 1960's, prodded by Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, it built a nuclear power plant in Oswego on the shores of Lake Ontario. The James A. FitzPatrick plant takes its name from a former NYPA president and is one of three nuclear plants upstate. It's owned by Constellation Energy. Shutdown: Why Indian Point nuclear plant won't close until 2041 And NYPA built and operated Indian Point's Unit 3 reactor before selling it to Louisiana-based Entergy in 2000. The plant shut down in 2021. Pro-nuclear groups are cheering NYPA's reentry into the nuclear power sphere. 'NYPA has decades of experience with large energy projects and even operated nuclear plants in the past,' said Dietmar Detering, the chairman of Nuclear New York. NYPA won't go it alone, he added —there are many opportunities to involve private developers, technology vendors, and even operators. "NYPA's role is to break the ice and bring serious, public-sector credibility to the table,' he said. NYPA says the job posting has already generated significant interest. "We're moving forward quickly and have already received dozens of applications from battle-tested leaders interested in the Senior Vice President of Nuclear Development role," said NYPA spokeswoman Lindsay Kryzak. "This person will have the experience to help us meet this historic challenge to shape and drive NYPA's nuclear strategy with a clear-eyed focus on safety, innovation, and long-term value for the people of New York.' Thomas C. Zambito covers energy, transportation and economic growth for the USA Today Network's New York State team. He's won dozens of state and national writing awards from the Associated Press, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Deadline Club and others during a decades-long career that's included stops at the New York Daily News, The Star-Ledger of Newark and The Record of Hackensack. He can be reached at tzambito@ This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Nuclear energy czar wanted in NY, to the tune of $258K. What the job? Solve the daily Crossword

Hochul weighs a decision on medical aid in dying
Hochul weighs a decision on medical aid in dying

Politico

time2 days ago

  • Health
  • Politico

Hochul weighs a decision on medical aid in dying

Beat Memo Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing a political tripwire as she weighs the future of a decade-old bill that would allow terminally ill people to obtain life-ending medication. The bill would make New York the 12th state in the country to legalize medical aid in dying. Hochul is already assessing her options. Her office began meeting with key interest groups shortly after the Legislature's end of session last month, signaling the Democratic governor may act sooner rather than later. Advocates who fought for years to pass the measure are hopeful Hochul will sign the bill without demanding changes. Among the most influential voices boosting the bill is the Medical Society of the State of New York, whose decision to back medical aid in dying last year was considered pivotal in getting the Legislature to pass it this year. 'We've learned from other states what's important,' Jane Simpson, the society's vice speaker and a palliative care physician, told POLITICO. That includes a requirement that two doctors sign off on a patient's request and a provision allowing doctors to not participate in the program. The bill is set to land on Hochul's desk as she gears up for a tough reelection contest next year, when she will likely see challengers from the left and the right. One likely opponent, Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, is already wielding the issue as a political brickbat. 'Instead of investing in palliative care, mental health support and life-affirming resources for those facing terminal illness, this legislation offers an immoral shortcut that devalues human life,' Stefanik said in a statement after the bill's passage in the Assembly. But hospice and palliative care providers have denounced arguments that pit the two treatment pathways against each other. 'This is not an independent decision on medical aid in dying — this is about quality of end-of-life care,' Jeanne Chirico, president of the Hospice & Palliative Care Association of New York State, told POLITICO. IN OTHER NEWS: — 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East endorsed Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani on Friday after backing Andrew Cuomo's failed primary bid, POLITICO Pro reported. 'We are proud to endorse Zohran Mamdani who will fight side-by-side with us to ensure New Yorkers get the services they need, build affordable housing, and create safe communities,' union president Yvonne Armstrong said in a statement. 'We need a mayor like Zohran who has a plan to ensure frontline caregivers can continue working and living in our city.' ON THE AGENDA: — Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The state Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Board will meet. — Thursday at 10:30 a.m. The state Medicaid Evidence Based Benefit Review Advisory Committee will meet. MAKING ROUNDS: — George Han was appointed director of research for NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. GOT TIPS? Send story ideas and feedback to Maya Kaufman at mkaufman@ and Katelyn Cordero at kcordero@ Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. What you may have missed — Gov. Kathy Hochul is weighing her options for addressing fallout from the federal tax law, which could upend the state's heath care industry and yank health insurance coverage from more than a million New Yorkers, she told reporters Thursday. The Democratic governor noted President Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' will result in a $750 million hit to the state's budget this year, and $3 billion next year, which Hochul said the state is not equipped to fully backfill, POLITICO Pro's Katelyn Cordero reports. 'Those who say, 'Well I'm not on Medicaid, it doesn't affect me,' when perhaps one of the five hospitals in the North Country closes, you and your family will not have anywhere to go either,' Hochul said, arguing that the five House Republicans in New York's delegation will have to answer to constituents for their support of the bill. Odds and Ends NOW WE KNOW — Three things to know about President Trump's vein condition. TODAY'S TIP — Avoid these mistakes when trying to increase your protein intake. STUDY THIS — Via STAT: The Republican tax bill could increase overdose deaths by 1,000 each year, researchers estimate. What We're Reading — Mayor Adams touts cleanup of Bronx drug market, but locals say root problems remain. (Gothamist) — Insurers and customers brace for double whammy to Obamacare premiums (KFF Health News) — A new recall of injected penicillin may put gains against syphilis in peril. (CNN) Around POLITICO — CBO report finds NIH and FDA cuts would slow drug development, Simon J. Levien reports. — Via Giedre Peseckyte: Trump medicines tariff will cause shortages in the U.S., experts warn. MISSED A ROUNDUP? Get caught up on the New York Health Care Newsletter.

Gov. Hochul's latest redistricting threat is dangerous and undemocratic
Gov. Hochul's latest redistricting threat is dangerous and undemocratic

New York Post

time3 days ago

  • Politics
  • New York Post

Gov. Hochul's latest redistricting threat is dangerous and undemocratic

Gov. Kathy Hochul and fellow Democrats are again threatening to rig New York's congressional voting-district maps to win seats for their party. And in mid-decade, no less, in clear violation of the state Constitution. It's sleazy, anti-democratic — and illegal. Even Hochul admits it, but suggests Dems may do it anyway since Texas and Ohio are moving to draw up new districts in their states. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Democrats are again threatening to rig New York's congressional voting-district maps, writes The Post Editorial Board. Andrew Schwartz / 'All's fair in love and war,' she huffed last week. 'If there's other states violating the rules and are trying to give themselves an advantage, all I'll say is, I'm going to look at it closely.' Huh? If Texas and Ohio rig their maps, that doesn't give Hochul & Co. the right to break New York's laws — even if her goal is to offset any advantage Republicans get in those states. Note, too, that Hochul is huffing not about protecting New York's influence in Congress but her party's. And at the expense, presumably, of Republican voters in New York, since the goal would be to draw district lines favorable to Democrats. True, Texas and Ohio Republicans are expected draw lines they hope will favor them. But if those states cheat their Democratic voters, those voters can sue. Hochul and her party are worried that if more Republicans are elected from those states, it'll make it harder for Democrats to win control of the House in next year's midterms. But again, if the donkeys think those states are breaking any laws, they can go to court, too. Meanwhile, if Hochul tried to gerrymander in time for the midterm, she'd be doubly violating the state Constitution. First, redistricting can take place only once every 10 years, after the Census, not mid-decade. Second, in 2014 New Yorkers passed a constitutional amendment that empowered an independent decennial redistricting commission and specifically banned partisan gerrymandering. But Democrats ignored the amendment and tried to gerrymander anyway a few years ago, and it took a ruling by the state's top court to stop them. We don't condone gerrymandering, by either party, in any state. It cheats voters, skews representation and undermines democracy. As even Democratic boss Jay Jacobs warns, 'We need to be careful about democracy,' adding, 'You don't change the rules of the game to your advantage just because you can.' Given the tight timeframe, it's unlikely Democrats could pull this off. But then, if New York Dems were willing to violate the Constitution before, who can be sure they won't 'break the rules' again to push through corrupt new district lines in time? New Yorkers of both parties should demand Hochul take back her threat and obey the law.

Dems are finally speaking up on Mamdani's sickening embrace of antisemitism — but New York's leaders remain silent
Dems are finally speaking up on Mamdani's sickening embrace of antisemitism — but New York's leaders remain silent

New York Post

time4 days ago

  • Politics
  • New York Post

Dems are finally speaking up on Mamdani's sickening embrace of antisemitism — but New York's leaders remain silent

Did you hear the good news? Some top Democrats finally are finding the courage to slam Zohran Mamdani's sickening embrace of antisemitism. Sadly, the news comes with a catch: the big Dems doing the right thing are not from New York. A reasonable conclusion is that the continuing silence from Gov. Hochul, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries means they are fine with the fact that their party's nominee to be New York City's next mayor is a bigot. If ever there was an example of party loyalty being a vice and not a virtue, this is it. The silence is outrageous. Of course, Hochul, Schumer and Jeffries wouldn't dare be quiet if Mamdani was overtly anti-black or anti-Latino, but Jews and Israel are fair game and held to a double standard. The pols' refusal to speak up also reflects how an anti-Israel movement has become a powerful force in their party. The New York Times, citing a Pew Research poll, reports that 'Nearly seven in 10 Dems nationally now express an unfavorable view of Israel, compared with 37 percent of Republicans.' 'Space for extremists' Given those numbers, the state's top Dems must know that criticizing Mamdani on Israel would not be well received by many voters, especially the young socialists who are the driving force in the Queens assemblyman's rocket rise. As a result, anti-Israeli voters, at least some of them antisemites, are now a bloc to be reckoned with in the party, nationally as well as in New York. The leaders who are not afraid to speak the truth about Mamdani's bigotry are Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, and Rahm Emanuel, the former ambassador to Japan and the former mayor of Chicago. In separate interviews with other outlets, both men, who are Jewish, focused on Mamdani's continuing refusal to denounce the phrase, 'Globalize the intifada.' Shapiro told the Jewish Insider that Mamdani 'left open far too much space for extremists to either use his words or for him to not condemn the words of extremists that said some blatantly antisemitic things.' He was referring to the fact that Mamdani, a Muslim, defended the intifada slogan by saying it reflects 'a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.' In reality, the phrase is widely understood as a call to commit violence against Jews anywhere and everywhere. It is often paired by college radicals with another hateful phrase, 'From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free.' That one is a clear call for the elimination of Israel and the mass murder of the 7 million Jews who live there. On NBC's 'Meet the Press,' anchor Kristen Welker gave Mamdani multiple chances to denounce 'globalize the intifada,' but he refused, saying only, 'That's not language that I use.' 'The language that I use, and the language that I will continue to use to lead this city, is that which speaks clearly to my intent, which is an intent grounded in the belief in universal human rights,' he added. See, he believes in human rights– — unless you are a Jew, especially one living Iin the Jewish homeland. Mamdani has been harshly critical of Israel for years and supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which would have American universities and companies boycott Israeli schools and products. If he were mayor, would city schools join the extremist movement? Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters 'Would arrest Bibi' He also regularly condemns Israel's military actions in Gaza, which he foolishly calls 'genocide.' He said that if he were mayor, Gotham would arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visited, citing the International Criminal Court's unjustified warrant. These positions are especially stunning in light of the fact that the city he wants to lead has the largest Jewish population of any city in the world. Shapiro, in his criticism, said leaders 'have to speak and act with moral clarity, and when supporters of yours say things that are blatantly antisemitic, you can't leave room for that to just sit there. You've got to condemn that.' Emanuel, who was also chief of staff during the Obama administration, made his criticism during a podcast with Free Press founder Bari Weiss. He said, 'I've never met Mamdani, but he strikes me, from a distance, as a very smart, sensitive person. But to not be sensitive to that is incredibly off-kilter to me. ' And the signs of 'we're going to globalize intifada,' …. . . it means you're not hearing a big constituency in the city you want to be mayor of.' Asked by Weiss if a politician who does not condemn 'globalizing the intifada' has a place in the party, Emanuel gave a refreshingly clear answer: 'No.' To be sure, as Shapiro and Emanuel noted, all criticism of Israel and its government is not necessarily antisemitic. Rather, it crosses the line when it goes to Israel's right to exist and when it is repeatedly singled out for behavior that is considered acceptable by other countries. That's the disgraceful history of the United Nations, where despotic nations such as China, South Africa and Iran are considered fit to judge Israel on human rights. The fact is that 2 million Arab Israelis have broad rights, including voting, yet there are next to zero Jews in most Arab and Muslim nations. The double standard reflects the normalization and internationalization of Jew hatred. That's the poisonous backdrop to Mamdani's statements and positions. He also has been silent about Hamas terrorists butchering Israeli women and children and holding hostages in Gaza for a year and 10 months, some of whom were executed. Similarly, in a 2017 rap song he professed his love for the Holy Land 5 individuals who were convicted by the US of providing material support to Hamas. A new low He has never recanted that support, nor has he condemned Iran and its other proxies, Hezbollah and the Houthis, as well as the mullahs' threats to destroy Israel. Similarly, the ongoing slaughter of Christians and Druze in Syria by Islamists hasn't stirred his concern. His top general election opponents, — two Democrats, Mayor Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, — both faulted Mamdani's embrace of antisemitic garbage. As has Curtis Sliwa, the GOP nominee. Another Democrat who has been openly critical of Mamdani is Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres, a top supporter of Israel and scourge of the rise of antisemitism in his party. In response to Torres' criticism, backers of Mamdani threatened to support primary opponents against Torres. The point is clear: Israel should no longer count on support from many Dems. Those who dare to back the Jewish state should assume their party will try to boot them from its ranks. That marks a new low in American politics, and yet top New York Dems still remain silent. Shame on them.

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