Latest news with #InsideCityHall
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NY AG Letitia James calls Trump admin allegations of mortgage fraud ‘baseless': interview
New York State Attorney General Letitia James is saying the Trump administration's criminal referral for mortgage fraud is 'baseless' but declined to give details, in a new interview. James appeared on Spectrum NY1's 'Inside City Hall' Thursday, attempting to swat down allegations from the Trump administration that she falsified real estate records in Virginia and New York. 'Let me just say to all New Yorkers and to all Americans: the allegations are baseless. The allegations are nothing more than a revenge tour,' James told NY1 political anchor Errol Louis. When pressed about the amount of bedrooms in her Brooklyn home — referring to the federal allegation that the AG illegally listed the home as having four instead of five bedrooms — James played her cards close to the vest. 'As you know, as any good attorney, I will not litigate this case in a camera. It is important that we respond to these allegations at the appropriate time and in an appropriate way,' she said. 'I will not go back and forth with respect to these baseless allegations. I am more focused again on standing up for freedom, liberties, and the rule of law in the state of New York.' James counted herself amongst law firms, universities, immigrants, women, and federal employees who were all 'targeted' by the Trump administration as part of what the attorney general described as a 'revenge tour.' 'My office was successful in securing a $450 million judgment against Donald Trump and others for exaggerating the value of his assets,' James said, adding, the interest owed to the state is 'growing every day.' The AG took the opportunity to bash reporters who were 'camped out' in front of her Brooklyn home and in front of the home of her relatives in Virginia, accusing the door-knocking reporters of 'harassment.' She inartfully dodged questions from Post reporters on Wednesday outside her tony Brooklyn brownstone. James said no one from the federal government reached out to her before the filing. 'I will not be silenced, I will not be bullied, I will not bend, I will not break, and I will not bow to anyone,' the attorney general stated, adding, 'No one is above the law.' On Tuesday, the US Federal Housing Agency sent a criminal referral with James' name on it to Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleging the attorney general falsified bank documents and property records in order to secure favorable loan terms in real estate transactions in New York and Virginia.
Politico
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
And they're off!
Presented by With help from Cris Seda Chabrier NEW YORK MINUTE: City Hall is set to announce four new deputy mayor appointments today as Mayor Eric Adams seeks to shore up his administration amid several high-level resignations. Jeffrey Roth, who has worked for the National Guard, the city's Department of Veterans' Services, the FDNY and was a short-lived nominee to the Bill de Blasio-era Taxi and Limousine Commission, will be named deputy mayor for operations. Suzanne Miles-Gustave, who was most recently the acting commissioner of the state Office of Children and Family Services, will assume the role of deputy mayor for health and human services. Kaz Daughtry, deputy commissioner of operations at the NYPD, is set to become the deputy mayor for public safety, a move first reported by The New York Times. And Adolfo Carrión Jr., the Housing Preservation and Development commissioner, will become the deputy mayor for housing, economic development and workforce — a position that had been combined into the first deputy mayor portfolio. Despite First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer also resigning, the city was not planning to name her replacement Friday. — Joe Anuta GREEN FLAG: After spinning the tires and tuning the engines for months, the New York City mayor's race really got going Thursday. Andrew Cuomo faced reporters for the first time in years, for one example. Regrets? He's had a few, POLITICO's Jason Beeferman reports, like failing to put more state police on city subways to offset future budget cuts. But then again, too few to mention. Cuomo left out accusations of sexually harassing 11 women in the workplace — which he denies — and his administration's handling of nursing homes during the Covid-19 pandemic. Indeed, Cuomo did it his way. He locked down endorsements Thursday from former Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. (who backed Mayor Adams in 2021) and Teamsters Local 237 (who backed former Comptroller Scott Stringer in 2021) — underscoring how much of a dominant force the former governor is in the Democratic primary. Adrienne Adams also faced questions for the first time as a mayoral candidate, as the City Council speaker sat down on NY1's 'Inside City Hall' Thursday night. Eric Adams is 'preoccupied' and 'it is trickling down into the lives of New Yorkers right now,' Adrienne Adams said. She never planned to run for mayor, but 'City Hall has been shaken.' Sexual misconduct should be 'not a thing that we carry into the future, but something that we look upon the past not to repeat,' the speaker added. Expect the scandal-free grandmother to keep drawing a contrast to the men in the race. Meanwhile the candidates that have been running for months kept running, but with fresh tanks of gas. 10 a.m.: Stringer was in City Hall Park, saying Cuomo should've run for Westchester County Executive, given that he's lived outside the city for two decades. 10:30 a.m.: Zellnor Myrie stood one block away on Spruce Street, pitching an after school plan (More on that below). 11 a.m.: Brad Lander gathered reporters a minute away outside the Municipal Building, talking up his housing plan — and ridiculing Cuomo's record in that realm. 6 p.m.: Later on, that trio — plus Zohran Mamdani, Jessica Ramos and Michael Blake — attended a mayoral forum on environmental issues. The challengers have sat together in similar confabs for months, night after night, but haven't yet been joined by Eric Adams, Adrienne Adams or Cuomo. 'Andrew, thank you for joining us,' Stringer joked, gesturing at an empty chair. The mayor kept up his non-campaign strategy too. That is to say, he made a government announcement about fighting crime around Washington Square Park. Questions loom about what Eric Adams' actual campaign will look like, if one ever forms, as POLITICO reported last week. But the mayor insisted, again, that he's running for reelection. 'The only game you are guaranteed to lose is the game you forfeit by getting out of the game,' he said. 'The worst thing I can do is surrender to a lie and I will never do that.' — Jeff Coltin HAPPY FRIDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman. WHERE'S KATHY? In Albany with no public schedule. WHERE'S ERIC? In New York City, meeting with the 'Jewish News Syndicate' and later speaking at Reverend Carolina's 20th pastoral anniversary celebration. QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'They clearly are not ready to give up the fight they had with Cuomo in the past.' — Strategist Stu Loeser in Breaker's story about the New York Post's problem with the ex-Gov: 'He's running for mayor and it hates him.' ABOVE THE FOLD MIND THE GAAP: The mayor stressed the connection between public safety and the economy Thursday night during a brief address at the annual Citizens Budget Commission gala — a room full of the city's business and political elite. 'If we're not safe as a city, then no one is going to come here, with the fourth largest tourism in the city's history. People will not walk our subways. People will not walk our streets. The businesses would not operate … We have not surrendered to crime. We have not surrendered to disorder,' Adams said. The mayor went on to tout several recent crime trends that included a 30-year low in shootings for the first two months of the year and a record-high number of private sector jobs in the five boroughs. He sought to remind the gathered crowd of the major fiscal pitfalls of Covid and the migrant crisis his administration has weathered. 'Don't let anyone tell you that New York City isn't thriving, moving forward and we have shown the compassion this entire country should be known for,' Adams said. The reality, however, is more complicated. Crime overall is still higher than in 2021 when Adams as a mayoral candidate pledged to lower it. And economic policies from President Donald Trump — who is attempting to make the mayor's criminal case disappear after extensive overtures from the big-city Democrat — have injected chaos into the city's budget process. Adams himself is facing record-low primary numbers too as he seeks reelection with a barely-there campaign operation. — Joe Anuta CITY HALL: THE LATEST UNIVERSAL AFTER-SCHOOL: Mayoral candidate and state Sen. Zellnor Myrie wants to make after-school programs free for every public school student in the city, a popular idea that could alleviate pressure on working families. But such an endeavor could prove costly. Myrie unveiled his 'Rebuild NYC: Opportunity Agenda' Thursday, a plan for universal after-school and full-day 3K and prekindergarten. He's proposing to offer an after-school seat to students from 3K through 12th grade until 6 p.m. on weekdays. He told reporters Thursday he's looking to fund those proposals through multiple sources, including savings from decreased city spending on migrant funding, higher-than-expected personal income tax revenue and tax audits. He anticipates that the plan's first year — which will begin the expansion of 3K and pre-K as well as after-school programming — would cost at least $400 million. 'I'm looking forward to conversations with my partners in Albany, and when we win, my partners in Washington, to see how much we get,' he said during a press conference in Manhattan. 'There are some places where we can find savings. This administration has had budget mismanagement.' Myrie told POLITICO there's no requirement for money from the state, but said he'd lobby state lawmakers. Hochul declined to give Adams any new funding to house and serve migrants until his team uses what she's already distributed. And the mayor still isn't able to get his $80 million back from Trump. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration previously warned universal after-school would cost hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Jacob Berman, assistant director for the New York City Independent Budget Office, said that while the city appears to have a larger surplus than estimated by the Adams administration, it's shrinking, in part due to economic uncertainty. He also said the city is budgeted to spend $431 million on COMPASS, an after-school program. Monica Klein, a spokesperson for Myrie, said: 'This isn't just the right thing to do — it's smart policy: Myrie's programs will help keep families in the city, allow more parents to rejoin the workforce, and strengthen our tax base.' — Madina Touré More from the city: — The lawyer a federal judge appointed to argue the Trump Justice Department's motion to dismiss Adams' corruption case is set to deliver his views to the court today. (New York Times) — If mayoral candidates want the UFT's endorsement, they'll need to spend a day with students in a classroom first. (POLITICO Pro) — The mayor's immigrant affairs commissioner said his office has been kept in the dark on Adams' promised executive order allowing ICE to operate on Rikers Island. (Daily News) NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY REBATE WARS: Assembly Democrats are set to include Hochul's $3 billion rebate check program in their budget resolution due out next week. But privately lawmakers have their doubts about whether sending a $300 check to New York households is prudent — and if it can still be swung if the federal government approves deep cuts. The Assembly Democratic conference on Thursday privately discussed the rebate check program in a fairly unremarkable meeting, three people familiar with the talks told Playbook. Still, three Democratic lawmakers said they harbor concerns with the shotgun approach to the rebate checks, which the governor has framed as a way of bolstering households struggling with inflation. Instead of sending a check in the mail, the Democrats want a targeted approach like using the money for child tax credits or for older New Yorkers. Some lawmakers have proposed more funding for child care programs. And one legislator pointed to the potential impact of the federal government slashing Medicaid funding to states — a prospect that could leave New York billions of dollars in the hole. — Nick Reisman NEWS ABOUT THE NEWS: A new effort meant to bolster struggling local media organizations will launch next week with the backing of Democratic lawmakers and business groups. The measure, backed by state Sen. Monica Martinez and Assemblymember Jen Lunsford, would create a $10 million tax credit program to encourage small businesses advertisements in local newspapers. The proposal follows a deal in the state budget last year that created a first-in-the-nation tax credit to subsidize hiring at local news organizations. The $30 million journalism job program is part of the growing $8 billion in credits New York sets aside in order to offset the cost of doing business in the high-tax state. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Upstate Democrats want to delay the state's pending clean trucks rule. (POLITICO Pro) — Corrections officers rejected a plan that would have ended the wildcat strikes at state prisons. (Times Union) — Amid Trump's trade war with Canada, Premier Doug Ford spoke with Hochul and other governors about a potential export tax on Ontario electricity sold stateside. (Toronto Star) KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION ICE ENCOUNTER: Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Adriano Espaillat told reporters last week that they'd met with a U.S. citizen they say was detained and questioned by federal immigration agents on the New York City subway. 'It's a shame that they've been unlawfully targeted,' Jeffries said at the time. 'The family is concerned that they're not the only ones in New York City and throughout the country that this has happened to under this administration.' But U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials told Playbook afterward they don't have reason to believe the incident happened. 'ICE New York City considers this an unsubstantiated and false claim as we have no evidence this occurred,' a spokesperson said in a statement, adding that agents may encounter citizens in their field work and request ID. 'Any U.S. immigration officer has authority to question, without warrant, any alien or person believed to be an alien concerning his or her right to be, or to remain, in the U.S.' Jeffries and Espaillat had said that the man showed his real ID when he was stopped. Espaillat, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus who was recently politically targeted over his immigration status, stands by the family. 'The individual was shaken by the incident, and we will speak to him to see if he's willing to come forward to share more about this incident and his story,' Espaillat spokesperson Candace Person said in a statement. 'It's unfortunate that ICE is failing to take responsibility for these actions and direct impact even to U.S. citizens.' — Emily Ngo VOTE WATCH: Long Island Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen were among the 10 Democrats who voted Thursday with Republicans to censure Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) for disrupting Trump's joint address to Congress earlier this week. The moderate Dems have made clear their willingness to buck the party, including by supporting the Laken Riley Act cracking down on illegal immigration. On Thursday, they were outnumbered by a dozen or so progressive Democrats who sang 'We Shall Overcome' in the House chamber in support of Green. — Emily Ngo More from Congress: — New York House Republicans backed a Rep. Claudia Tenney-introduced resolution supporting the ongoing strike by correction officers at prisons. (Spectrum News) — Suozzi, Gillen and Reps. Josh Riley and John Mannion are on the DCCC's Frontline list of 2026 House battlegrounds to defend. (POLITICO) — House Democratic leadership is privately confronting members who disrupted President Trump's speech to Congress. (Axios) NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — Inflation continues to drive up costs for New York businesses and the pain will be shared by consumers. (Newsday) — Chronic absenteeism continues to be a problem for schools after the pandemic. (Spectrum News) — The City of Rochester could see a new museum and cultural center under a new plan to honor Frederick Douglass. (Spectrum News) — Several law firms stand the chance of becoming the next Cellino & Barnes — earworm jingle and all. (Gothamist) SOCIAL DATA MAKING MOVES: Katie Newcombe has been appointed as the Director of Economic Development for National Grid New York … Taryn Duffy is departing from her role as Vice President of Public Affairs for MGM's Northeast Group after 14 years with Empire City Casino. Duffy is launching her own consulting firm, Tarsam Public Affairs. MEDIAWATCH: New York Post political reporter Jon Levine is leaving to join The Washington Free Beacon. SPOTTED at Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's keynote address on Thursday at a sold-out edition of the Economic Club of New York's signature luncheon series: Larry Kudlow, Bob Steel, Gregg Lemkau, Dina Powell McCormick, Tony Sayegh, John Catsimatidis, Steve Schwarzman, Jason Miller, Monica Crowley, Jon Huntsman, Charlie Glazer, Ken Mehlman, Annmarie Hordern, Miranda Devine, Mario Gabelli, Mark Gallogly, Jerry Speyer, Ed Cox, Lynn Martin, Ben Smith, Raheem Kassam, Wayne Berman and John Carney. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Larry Scott Blackmon … NBC's Matt Glassman … Carol Danko … BCW's Katie Nerantzis … Nate Evans … Harry Bainbridge … Savannah Behrmann … Rachel Zuckerman … Alan Neuhauser … Adam Kaiser … (WAS THURSDAY): Chaim Haas Missed Thursday's New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.
