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Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
10 politicians who backed Andrew Cuomo's resignation as governor now endorse his NYC mayoral bid in shocking about-face
Good riddance, Gov. Cuomo! We want you, Mayor Cuomo! More than one-third of elected officials who've endorsed Andrew Cuomo's bid for mayor thus far previously demanded or welcomed his resignation as governor following his dueling sexual misconduct and COVID nursing home death scandals. In perhaps the most backward development of the New York City mayoral race, 10 of the 28 elected officials who have thrown their support behind the embattled ex-governor once wanted him out of public office. The eyebrow-raising flip-flop — which includes women in elected office — has turned the Me Too Movement on its head. 'Electeds' support for Cuomo is a slap-in-the-face betrayal to government workers everywhere, including their own staff. It's cowardly for anyone who rightfully spoke up against Cuomo four years ago to now say 'Ho hum, second chances, let the voters decide, etc.,'' said Erica Vladimer, founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group, which fought harassment against legislative staffers. Several elected officials had issued statements slamming Cuomo, but have a made a complete about-face now that the Democrat's running for mayor. Queens state Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky is among those who urged Cuomo to step down as governor — only to turn around and endorse him for mayor. 'It is clear that there is a pattern of unacceptable and troubling behavior. The governor should resign or face impeachment,' Stavisky said on Aug. 3, 2021. Her statement came out after a devastating report commissioned by state Attorney General Letitia James substantiated harassment claims leveled against Cuomo by a slew of women. Cuomo has denied the harassment accusations from female staffers and other women, including a state trooper. Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who is the Brooklyn Democratic Party chairwoman, is now among Cuomo's biggest boosters. But she previously said Cuomo's 'resignation was in the interest of the people of this state. In this disquieting time, there is some relief in seeing repercussions for Cuomo's shameful conduct.' Brooklyn Councilwoman Farah Louis, another Cuomo mayoral endorser, also had welcomed his resignation. 'Governor Cuomo's actions were deeply wrong. His decision to resign was the right one as it was clear that he could no longer lead New York State effectively,' Louis said in a statement on Aug. 11, 2021. Likewise, state Senator James Sanders said, 'I am calling on Governor Cuomo to resign' after James' report, but has since endorsed the ex-governor for mayor. Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres said at the time that Cuomo's 'resignation is in the best interest of New York State.' But when he was one of the first big endorsers for Cuomo in February, he said he didn't want to 'relitigate the past.' 'I predict the comeback story of the 2025 election will be the resurrection of Andrew Cuomo,' Torres said. 'America loves a comeback, New York loves a comeback.' Rep. Gregory Meeks, the Queens Democratic leader and current Cuomo backer, co-signed a statement on Aug. 3, 2021 that said, 'The time has come for Governor Andrew Cuomo to do the right thing for the people of New York State and resign.' Another endorser, state Sen Joe Addabbo (D-Queens) said simply, ' Governor Cuomo made the correct decision in stepping down from his position.' Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Queens), who has also endorsed Cuomo, said at the time, 'The troubling allegations would probably have resulted in articles of impeachment had the Governor not resigned on August 10th, effective August 24th.' Meanwhile, Ed Braunstein, another Queens assemblyman in the Cuomo camp, said, 'The Governor's resignation ends a difficult and painful chapter in our state's history and is in the best interest of New Yorkers.' But Cuomo's campaign claimed he has been vindicated. The cases of accusations leveled against the ex-governor by plaintiffs in court — regarding sexual misconduct or his nursing home policies during the COVID-19 pandemic — were either closed by prosecutors for lack of evidence, or were dismissed or not proven thus far in civil court. 'New York is in crisis – a crisis of affordability, of quality of life, and of leadership and Governor Cuomo is the only person in this race with the proven track record of results to tackle these issues head on, which is why he has built a broad coalition of support that reflects our great city and is leading in every borough, and with every race and gender, and those who represent them and with organized labor,' said Cuomo campaign spokesman Richard Azzopardi. 'Since the beginning, we said all of this was political and wasn't going anywhere, and four years later that has all borne out.'
New York Times
10-03-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
For #MeToo Movement, Mayor's Race in New York City Poses a Test
Four years ago, allegations of sexual misconduct turned the New York political sphere upside down. Numerous allegations against Andrew M. Cuomo led to his resignation as governor in August 2021; months earlier, Scott M. Stringer, a former city comptroller, saw his bid for mayor fall short after two women accused him of sexual harassment decades earlier. This year, three Democratic candidates for mayor of New York City — Mr. Cuomo, Mr. Stringer and the incumbent, Eric Adams — will provide a durability test for the #MeToo movement in New York politics. All three have faced allegations of sexual misconduct; all have forcefully denied the accusations and challenged the accusers in court. The contours of the June 24 Democratic primary have mostly centered on issues of competency and who might best steer the city through concerns of public safety, affordability and interference from President Trump, a Republican. But some of the accusers, their lawyers and women's groups are trying to keep the #MeToo allegations front and center, hoping to persuade voters that they should be viewed as disqualifying behavior. By far the most visible and most organized effort is aimed at Mr. Cuomo. Outside a recent union gathering for the former governor, participants in a 'Women Against Cuomo' rally shouted to union members who were waiting in line: 'You are endorsing a sexual harasser!' 'We're here to remind everyone who thinks that they are supporting a man who's going to stand up for them, who he actually is,' Erica Vladimer, co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group, said at the rally. When Mr. Cuomo held a fund-raiser reception in Manhattan on Friday organized by a group of more than 100 women, a competing group, led by one of his most persistent accusers, protested outside. Mr. Cuomo told reporters on Sunday after attending a church service in Harlem that a report by the state attorney general, Letitia James, investigating the allegations was wrong. 'I said at that time it was wrong, I said at that time it was political, it has been discredited and nothing has come from any of it,' he said. He added: 'I'm not here to talk about past politics. New Yorkers wants to talk about the present, they want to talk about the future.' Many of Mr. Cuomo's female accusers are hesitant to speak out themselves for fear of retaliation. Mr. Adams, who is running for a second term while also facing federal corruption charges, was accused in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting a colleague in 1993. The colleague, Lorna Beach-Mathura, said she asked him for career help when he was a police officer. He requested oral sex, forced her to touch his penis and ejaculated on her leg, according to her complaint. The mayor's allies have questioned her credibility and history of filing lawsuits. Her suit was filed under the Adult Survivors Act, which took effect in 2022, but she documented her account a year earlier in emails she sent to The New York Post and to the campaign of Andrew Yang, during his 2021 bid for mayor. Mr. Adams has denied the allegations and his lawyers have moved to dismiss the case, which could go to trial later this year. Ms. Beach-Mathura, who recently declared bankruptcy, said she had tried to publicize her story in 2021 after she was offended that Mr. Adams had portrayed himself as a 'law and order candidate.' 'I don't think Eric Adams is qualified to be mayor, just like I didn't think he was qualified to be mayor in 2021,' Ms. Beach-Mathura said in a recent statement to The New York Times. She said that she was glad that voters would now 'be more informed about who Eric Adams is.' Kayla Mamelak Altus, a spokeswoman for the mayor, said: 'As Mayor Adams has repeatedly stated, these allegations are false, and he has no recollection of ever even meeting this individual — an individual who, by the way, literally wrote a book on how to file lawsuits because, in her own words, 'you just may win.'' Ms. Beach-Mathura's claims did not become known until she filed a lawsuit in 2023. The accusation against Mr. Stringer surfaced in 2021, when Jean Kim held a news conference to accuse him of sexually assaulting her in 2001 when she was involved in his campaign for public advocate. She said that Mr. Stringer repeatedly groped her without consent, pressured her to have sex and warned her not to tell anyone. Mr. Stringer disputed her account, saying they were peers and that their relationship had been consensual. Mr. Stringer sued Ms. Kim for defamation in 2022, contending that she had done 'irreparable harm to him and his political future.' Ms. Kim's husband, Anthony Caifano, said in an interview that his wife opposed Mr. Stringer's campaign but was wary of speaking out because of the defamation case. 'Jean still stands behind her allegations,' Mr. Caifano said. 'There is a narrative now that her allegations were disproven and they weren't.' Mr. Stringer's campaign sent a six-page document seeking to refute Ms. Kim's claims and arguing that her account was not corroborated. 'This false allegation has been a difficult and painful experience, and it's been particularly tough on my wife and kids,' Mr. Stringer said in a statement. 'As my children get older, I want them to know the truth, and I am hopeful they will.' The defamation case is pending. In September, a judge denied Ms. Kim's request to dismiss the case. Mr. Cuomo has gone further. The state has spent more than $15 million defending Mr. Cuomo and his aides from the allegations. In December, he filed a notice of intent to sue one accuser, Charlotte Bennett, for defamation. Lindsey Boylan, a former aide who accused Mr. Cuomo of an unwanted kiss and who attended the protest on Friday, said she had had to spend more than $1 million on legal fees. And when the former governor held a rally last week to kick off his campaign, his lawyer Rita Glavin was close at hand, ready with a quick defense of Mr. Cuomo's move to seek one accuser's gynecological records. Mr. Cuomo has avoided discussing the allegations by 11 women. His launch video referred to painful mistakes from his past without identifying them. When he was asked by a reporter to name those mistakes, he said he wished he had added more police in the transit system and did not mention the allegations. Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Mr. Cuomo, said 'the supreme irony is that the only harassment and bullying going on' was by the women protesting against the former governor. Several of the accusers say they have faced financial hardships after telling their stories and that it has been painful for them to navigate the legal system. 'Emotionally, it's still very upsetting for Jean,' her husband, Mr. Caifano, said. 'She just wants to move on.' He added that she can no longer afford to pay for a lawyer to represent her. How voters regard the #MeToo allegations may depend on how they weigh the individual circumstances and the candidate's broader record. Still, the allegations could influence some voters in a competitive primary with Mr. Cuomo, Mr. Adams and Mr. Stringer often among the top five candidates in polls. Suzanne B. Goldberg, a law professor at Columbia University, said that the #MeToo movement had faced setbacks, but it had not disappeared. 'Not every accusation will result in criminal charges, termination or even political consequences, but that doesn't mean that accusations of sexual harassment and assault have faded from public awareness,' she said. Some women say the presence of three male candidates with #MeToo allegations underscores the urgency to elect the city's first female mayor. Two women are running: Ms. Ramos and Adrienne Adams, the City Council speaker. Ms. Ramos, whom Ms. Kim and Ms. Boylan have supported for mayor, said in a statement that voters deserved better choices on the ballot. 'If people think their only choice is between a sex pest and a corrupt liar, of course they're not going to think government can work for them,' she said. 'How can we keep trusting a system that empowers men who have shown they don't care about us?'
Politico
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Women for — and against — Cuomo
'SHAME!': Perhaps it was inevitable that the Women for Cuomo fundraising breakfast would be protested by Women Against Cuomo. After all, the former governor is running for mayor four years after he resigned following the state attorney general's report finding he sexually harassed 11 women. Cuomo denies wrongdoing and district attorneys subsequently did not bring criminal charges. This morning the issue was on full display, with a dozen women standing behind a 'Women Say Hell No to Cuomo' banner outside a Park Avenue office building in Midtown Manhattan, chanting 'Shame! Shame! Shame!' at female Cuomo supporters walking in. 'For centuries, assault and harassment of women has been acceptable and joked about. And we say no. Not then, not now, not in November,' said Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, co-executive director of an education advocacy group. 'We are here to remind those in New York who may have forgotten, to inform those who may not know, and to let Andrew Cuomo know we won't relent.' The accusations that pushed Cuomo to resign in 2021 did not dissuade Brooklyn Assemblymember Latrice Walker from endorsing Cuomo at the fundraiser, leading her own chant quoting Beyoncé: 'Who runs the world? Girls!' Walker said her Brownsville constituents — including her 13-year-old daughter — 'do not resist a moment to tell me about their support for Andrew Cuomo.' Among the demonstrators was former Deputy Secretary for Economic Development Lindsey Boylan, the first woman to accuse Cuomo of harassment. The group also protested outside his campaign launch rally on Sunday, and they're not planning to stop. 'There's a lot of people in New York City who want to remind voters of Andrew Cuomo's record, and we should plan to see them around reminding New Yorkers of his record,' Erica Vladimer, co-founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group told Playbook. 'Polling demonstrates pretty solidly that women are behind him,' Team Cuomo's Melissa DeRosa countered after the event, noting that about 250 women attended the fundraiser, while outside 'it was Lindsey Boylan and some astroturfers from the Working Families Party. So I'm not sure how representative that particular group is of actual women.' Walker is a close ally of Attorney General Letitia James, a Cuomo foe who spearheaded the report and pushed for City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams' late entrance into the mayor's race. Walker has been a Cuomo ally too, defending him against calls for his resignation in 2021. Her backing another candidate is a blow to Adrienne Adams' nascent campaign. Walker's endorsement brings up another potential vulnerability for Cuomo: his signing of the state's 2019 bail reform package. She was an architect of the policy and has opposed all the rollbacks. While Cuomo has criticized the laws, which some blame for driving recidivism, Mayor Eric Adams told POLITICO in January he'd hold Cuomo accountable for signing them. But the mayor has pretty much avoided any further criticism of Cuomo since. For now, Team Cuomo isn't bothered with Walker's efforts to keep more people out of jail pre-trial. 'You know, she believes what she believes, and that's OK, and that's admirable,' DeRosa said. — Jeff Coltin From the Capitol AN END TO THE STRIKE?: Gov. Kathy Hochul's latest move to end the massive correction officers' strike was put to the test today, as she navigates one of the biggest crises of her tenure. Since Feb. 17, more than 11,000 correction officers have walked off the job in a wildcat strike. And while some have returned to duty, about 8,000 remained AWOL as of Tuesday. The members are striking without the approval of their union, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association. And Hochul's initial offer to the striking COs — which was mediated with the union — didn't do much to resolve the conflict. So now it's on to offer No. 2, which Hochul's prisons commissioner, Daniel F. Martuscello III, proposed Thursday night after bypassing the union to speak with the striking COs themselves. Their pitch: Anyone who comes back to work will automatically be reinstated without punishment or demotion. Their health insurance, which was stripped during the strike, will be restored. And the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision will open a dialogue with various bargaining units to discuss changes to the law that limits solitary confinement and mandates programming for inmates. Officers will also receive 2.5 times the overtime pay rate initially offered by Hochul for 30 days. The top demands from the striking officers are a reduction in mandatory overtime hours and the repeal of the HALT Act, which Hochul can't take off the books without the Legislature's help. 'Recognizing that I needed to hear from my workforce directly, I traveled the state and took phone calls from correction officers and correction sergeants across this state, hearing directly from them what would be necessary in order for them to return to the workforce,' Martuscello said in a video briefing Thursday night. The officers' union, which had no role in negotiating the new offer, is refusing to sign on. 'This agreement was not negotiated with NYSCOPBA—the legally recognized entity through which all negotiations must be conducted,' the union said in a statement. 'There are substantial legal issues that must be addressed, and as presented, this agreement does not represent the best interests of our membership.' The Hochul administration spent today waiting to see how many COs would come back to work and honor the agreement. The officers will be docked two days pay for every day they didn't show up, as required by The Taylor Law. As of 3 p.m., there was no update on how many officers returned. — Jason Beeferman From The White House FEDS TAKE $400 MILLION FROM COLUMBIA: The Trump administration is seeking to cancel roughly $400 million in grants and contracts with Columbia University, a federal antisemitism task force announced Friday, POLITICO reports. The Justice Department task force to combat antisemitism has been probing 10 institutions because of their responses to antisemitic incidents on campuses since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. But Columbia, which faced intense scrutiny for its students' high-profile anti-war protests last spring, is the first institution to have its grants and contracts frozen. 'Freezing the funds is one of the tools we are using to respond to this spike in antisemitism. This is only the beginning,' said Leo Terrell, head of the Justice Department task force. 'Canceling these taxpayer funds is our strongest signal yet that the Federal Government is not going to be party to an educational institution like Columbia that does not protect Jewish students and staff.' The affected contracts come from the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, and Education, as well as the General Services Administration. The Trump administration said Columbia's grants were scrutinized because of the 'school's continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.' The task force said to expect more cancellations as it continues to seek more areas to cut contracts or grants to the institution from other agencies. Columbia University holds more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments. — Bianca Quilantan FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL MSG SUPER PAC STARTS SPENDING: A super PAC founded by Knicks and Rangers owner James Dolan is beginning to spend in advance of the June primaries after being mostly dormant for a couple of years. Madison Square Garden made two $250,000 donations to The Coalition to Restore New York last week. That committee spent $30,000 polling on the primary on Monday. Dolan launched the committee in 2021. It was 'candidate agnostic' but spent $3.8 million encouraging New Yorkers to vote for the officeseekers who would do the most on issues like 'making our city safer.' It spent $1.5 million in 2022, primarily to boost Gov. Kathy Hochul. Attempts to contact the committee for details about its plans for this year were unsuccessful. But it's notable that Dolan has long-standing ties to one candidate running in June: He and his family have given more than $1 million to Cuomo's gubernatorial efforts over the years, MSG hired 'third Cuomo brother' Joe Percoco when he left the administration, the governor appointed Dolan to the state's Covid reopening advisory board and Cuomo helped protect the Garden from redevelopment plans in the Penn Station area. Dolan also contributed $5,000 to Adams' legal defense fund last year. — Bill Mahoney IN OTHER NEWS — NEVER AGAIN, LATER!: Cuomo's pro-Israel group 'Never Again, NOW!' has little to show for its efforts. (The New York Times) — THE COMMUTING DEPUTY MAYOR: Jeffrey Roth, the mayor's new pick for deputy mayor for operations, lives, votes and even runs for office in Westchester. (THE CITY) — NO, THE OTHER LAKE PLACID: Immigration and Customs Enforcement erroneously listed Lake Placid, N.Y. as a town cooperating with federal immigration authorities, when they meant to say Lake Placid, Florida. (City & State) Missed this morning's New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
Politico
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
She called Cuomo's alleged crimes 'repulsive.' Now she's letting the people decide.
THE CUOMO SHRUG: Gov. Kathy Hochul called the allegations of sexual harassment and assault against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo — which he denies — 'repulsive' and 'unlawful' in 2021. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said at the time they were 'serious and deeply concerning' and called for his resignation. And Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres — who is now endorsing Cuomo — also called on him to step down. As the former Governor continues to show he's the frontrunner in the mayor's race — a poll released today found him at least 20 points ahead of the pack — the chorus of Democrats who piped up to condemn his behavior or call for his resignation are now shrugging at his candidacy. Advocates for victims of sexual assault are not too pleased. 'I have to deal with the reality today,' Hochul told reporters Tuesday after being asked whether she's concerned about Cuomo's history of sexual misconduct allegations. 'I stand by what I said at the time,' she said, referencing her 2021 remarks. 'I want to clearly say that, but I have to go forward in light of where we are today and deal with whatever the voters decide to deal with.' A day earlier, when Playbook asked Hochul specifically about the women who say they were assaulted and harassed by Cuomo, the governor answered by speaking broadly about victims of sexual assault. 'I feel for sexual assault victims everywhere,' she said. 'Always have, always will. I've been a champion for victims of sexual assault. I've worked all across the state to support their cause, and I'll continue to do that — victims everywhere.' Gillibrand, who took her time in demanding that Cuomo step down after being the first Democratic senator to call for Minnesota Sen. Al Franken's resignation, said Tuesday we live in a country that 'believes in second chances' when asked about Cuomo. 'He has a lot of talent as an executive, he's been a very strong governor and done very strong things for New York,' she told Spectrum News. 'But he has admitted and he has said he's made mistakes and mistakes that he regrets and serious mistakes. So it's really up to the voters.' But Erica Vladimer, the co-Founder of the Sexual Harassment Working Group who's working to oppose Cuomo's candidacy, said she's incredibly disappointed in Hochul and electeds like Gillibrand who wanted Cuomo gone four years ago but now 'suddenly think he is fit to be mayor.' 'Being a champion for victims of sexual assault — 'changing the culture of harassment and abuse,' as Gov. Hochul claims to prioritize — means standing up for victims at every possible moment, not just when it's convenient,' Vladimer said. 'But Gov. Hochul refuses to settle Charlotte Bennett's sexual harassment lawsuit against the state, and now she won't even directly comment on her disgraced predecessor's illegal and disgusting behavior,' she added. 'That sends a very different and disappointing message to the women Cuomo sexually harassed and all New Yorkers. So voters will elect the next Mayor of NYC, it would be nice for the first woman governor of NY to show institutional courage and call out someone she knows is unfit for public office.' Rich Azzopardi, Cuomo's spokesperson, said the legal fallout from the probes and lawsuits into Cuomo's alleged behavior shows he is innocent. 'I won't put words in anybody else's mouth, but three years, five district attorney reviews that resulted in zero cases, and civil cases that were either dropped or are dying on the vine due to a mountain of exculpatory evidence uncovered during discovery is a clarifying dose of due process,' Azzopardi said. 'The city is in crisis and everybody knows that Andrew Cuomo has the experience, the record and the skill to help save it.' — Jason Beeferman ADAMS IN D.C. HOT SEAT ON THE HILL: The four big-city mayors who testified today in Washington knew they were invited by House Republicans to be punching bags. For New York's Eric Adams, however, the blows were thrown by fellow Democrats, POLITICO Pro reports. GOP lawmakers not only spared Adams from the brunt of their often-theatrical attacks on 'sanctuary cities,' they defended him against the Democratic onslaught — including from fellow New Yorker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) at one point called Adams 'an outstanding mayor.' It was the latest display of just how far through the looking-glass things have gone for Adams, who in four years has gone from the 'Biden of Brooklyn' and 'new face of the Democratic Party' to an unlikely ally of President Donald Trump. 'We have a right to know if the Trump administration has actually coerced you into agreeing to him. Are you selling out New Yorkers to save yourself from prosecution?' Rep. Robert Garcia of California asked him. 'There's no deal, no quid pro quo and I did nothing wrong,' Adams said in what has become his standard response to the allegation that he struck an illicit deal with Trump's border czar Tom Homan to allow federal immigration agents into city jails in exchange for the end of his legal peril. The mayor has continuously sought to push back on the notion that his approach to immigration and crime has changed since Trump won a second term. 'You know me, I'm the same mayor,' he told reporters before the hearing. 'Three things stay on my mind all the time: public safety, public safety, public safety.' — Emily Ngo and Ben Jacobs FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL YIPPEE, A NEW POLL!: New York City voters are furious with Mayor Eric Adams over his alignment with President Donald Trump on immigration policy and are giving former Gov. Andrew Cuomo an early, commanding lead in the race to replace him, a new poll finds. The mayor holds a meager 20 percent approval rating with registered voters in the nation's largest city — an all-time low, according to Quinnipiac University's poll released Wednesday. The Democrat has been fighting corruption charges and resisting calls for his resignation after Trump's Justice Department ordered a judge to drop his case, seemingly in concert with his help on carrying out the president's aggressive immigration strategy. Adams' attorney has denied the now-resigned acting prosecutor's accusations of a quid pro quo, but the political damage is inarguable in a Democratic primary, and the latest poll underscores that. More than half of voters, 56 percent, believe Adams should resign. And a majority want him to stand up to the president on immigration. Trump remains unpopular in the deep blue city, with a 30 percent job approval rating. He is almost universally unpopular with Democrats in the city, as 91 percent disapprove of the president. The mayor will have to persuade those Democratic voters if he wants to win a closed June 24 party primary. That is proving an early test for Cuomo as well. The former governor declined to go after Trump in his first interview on the campaign trail this week, prompting immediate backlash from his left-of-center rivals. Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus touted the mayor's record without addressing the poll's results. 'The mayor ran to make our city safer and more affordable, and we're doing that every day — the facts do not lie. Mayor Adams and his administration will continue to deliver for New Yorkers every day as we make our city the best place to raise a family,' she said. A Cuomo spokesperson declined to comment. — Nick Reisman HEY JANNO, ABOUT THAT POLL…: The same Quinnipiac poll also showed a majority of New York City voters oppose congestion pricing 54-41, but they're more evenly divided on whether Trump is right to order the cameras shut off. The findings come as Hochul and the MTA continue to make their case to Trump that congestion pricing toll cameras stay on — even though Trump's administration demanded the 'orderly cessation' of the tolls by March 21. The same poll found 45 percent of voters approve of Trump's move to end the toll, while 49 percent disapprove. 'While many people were skeptical before congestion relief began, more New Yorkers want to keep it than want Trump to end it,' said Danny Pearlstein, the spokesperson for Riders Alliance, a pro-transit group that supports congestion pricing. 'An outright majority of Democrats supports the program and a supermajority within the governor's party is thrilled to see her protect and defend it.' At 55 percent, more Democrats support congestion pricing than those within the party that oppose it (37 percent) and those who have no opinion (8 percent) combined. Pearlstein also noted the poll showed the program is more popular than Adams and Trump — and almost as popular as Hochul, who for the first time is swimming above water as 43 percent of city voters approve of the job she's doing. Forty-two percent disapproved. Hochul also responded to the poll's congestion pricing numbers: 'Traffic is down, business is up, and New Yorkers oppose Donald Trump's attempts to kill congestion pricing,' her spokesperson Sam Spokony said.— Jason Beeferman FROM THE CAPITOL CHECK YOURSELF: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie signaled today that a version of Hochul's proposed rebate check program will be in his chamber's non-binding budget proposal due out next week. 'I anticipate the rebate checks will be part of our one house (budget),' he told reporters. The development is a good one for Hochul, who framed the $3 billion measure in her $252 billion spending plan as a way to fight inflation. There's been skepticism from some Democratic lawmakers over the proposal, who believe the money should go to a more targeted part of the budget, like child care. The governor's proposal would send $300 to $500 checks to New Yorkers who make $300,000 a year or less. — Nick Reisman THE DIVIDE OVER CDPAP: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie is at odds with members of his own chamber over the transition of the state's consumer-directed personal assistance program, which is due on April 1. Assembly Health Chair Amy Paulin told reporters Wednesday that the Hochul administration should either present a fix — such as letting vetted fiscal intermediaries continue to operate until the state has fully transitioned the program — or implement a delay that includes penalties for bad actors. Heastie told reporters Wednesday that he remains unwavering on the timeline, but is open to taking legislative action that could assist the transition. He said a delay would result in a win for fiscal intermediaries who are abusing the system. 'They spend millions and millions of Medicaid dollars — that could be going to services for people — on bashing the Legislature. So no, I'd like to see this resolved, I'd like to see every patient who needs services get their services,' Heastie said in response to a question from Playbook. 'A delay plays right into the hands of the people who want to continue to have 700 businesses.' The popular Medicaid program has been at the center of a controversial transition from more than 700 fiscal intermediaries, who handle administrative tasks for personal aides, to one. The Hochul administration struck a deal with the Legislature in the budget last year aiming to weed out bad actors who are accused of taking advantage of the system. The state Department of Health reported Monday that roughly 66,000 of the 280,000 consumers in the program have fully completed registration with Public Partnerships LLC, the fiscal services company that will oversee the program. The state did not share how many personal aides completed registration, which is a concern for Paulin. She said she would only entertain a delay that 'brings down the hammer' on bad actors in the system. 'The only reason that I would entertain a delay — because I don't want to reward (bad actors) either — is with the idea that we would hold them personally liable for the harm they are doing to New Yorkers,' Paulin said to reporters today. 'I believe that if the governor had a fix that helped move the system along in a good way we would have to take a serious look at it in the Assembly.' — Katelyn Cordero IN OTHER NEWS — FED MIGRANT MONEY: A federal judge rejected the city's request that the federal government be ordered to return $80 Million from FEMA to shelter migrants. (POLITICO) — DOUBLE PARKERS BE DAMNED: There's a new push to use cameras to issue automated ticketing to drivers who double parked their cars in the city. (Gothamist) — PRISON BODY CAMERAS: Prison officers did not have their body cameras on during the alleged fatal beating of inmate Messiah Nantwi at Mid-State Correctional Facility on Saturday. (Times Union) Missed this morning's New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cuomo takes center stage in race for NYC mayor
NEW YORK (PIX11) — The race for New York City mayor is now officially revolving around former Gov. Andrew Cuomo following his declaration over the weekend. Mayor Eric Adams said it is up to the voters to pass judgment on the twin nursing home and sexual harassment scandals that preceded Cuomo's resignation four years ago. However, others in the Democratic primary had much sharper criticisms. More Local News 'It is the hard-working money that we make day in and day out, that comes out of our hard-earned paychecks, that is going to continue to retaliate against women who did nothing more than speak about their experiences,' said Erica Vladimer, of the Sexual Harassment Working Group. Vladimer stood Monday with Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate. Together they are demanding Cuomo return $28 million he has used to defend himself from the sexual misconduct allegations. 'Using that money to subpoena their OB/GYN records, their therapy records and people who are not in any way involved in these cases,' Lander said. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State A spokesman for the Cuomo campaign said Lander does not know what he's talking about — and that a 'good portion' of the $28 million was used for defense of the COVID-19 response against federal scrutiny. Cuomo maintains the nursing home probe was politically motivated by the first Trump administration and points to a Department of Justice inspector general report backing up that assertion. For his part, Adams said neither the sexual harassment scandal nor questions about Cuomo's handling of nursing home deaths during the pandemic disqualify him from running for mayor. 'I met with some of the nursing home family members and advocates. There are some things that we want to do with them, but he has to answer that question on the trail,' Adams said. Adams feels what may be more concerning for voters is Cuomo and other candidates are trying to repackage his ideas. 'Get an original idea,' Adams chided ticking off lower crime stats, economic reports and housing numbers. 'Don't run on what Eric ran on and accomplished.' Cuomo did not have public campaign events Monday, but he did roll out a few more endorsements, including Assemblyman Eddie Gibbs and U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
