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Presented by Grubhub: Erin Durkin and Anna Gronewold's must-read briefing informing the daily conversation among knowledgeable New Yorkers | | | | |  | | By Anna Gronewold and Erin Durkin | Presented by Grubhub | New York may have cost Democrats control of the House of Representatives, but they’re still turning to a New Yorker to be their next congressional leader. After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her plans to retire from leadership, Jeffries is considered the odds-on favorite to succeed her. He won’t be speaker — at least not yet — since Republicans have clinched control of the House , but will seek the role of minority leader in the next Congress. That would leave Brooklyn Democrats steering the party in both the House and Senate, with Sen. Chuck Schumer running the show in the upper chamber. Jeffries may run unopposed, with POLITICO reporting that California Rep. Adam Schiff, who had been eyeing a bid, opted out. Jeffries, who would be the first Black minority leader, did not directly reference his plans in a statement praising Pelosi, but said, “The Speaker often reminds us that diversity is our strength. I know we will draw on that wisdom often as we come together as a Caucus to begin a new chapter.” Other New York pols were quick to get behind him . “He is the right face and voice for the party. He’s one of the finest public servants of our generation,” Rep. Ritchie Torres said on NY1. As the Democrats elevate Jeffries, Rep. Lee Zeldin is eyeing party leadership on the Republican side. After losing a bid for governor — but performing well enough to help his party win congressional races — emailed Republican National Committee members to say he is “very seriously considering” running to chair the RNC, POLITICO’s Holly Otterbein reports. He touted his approach in New York as a model for the GOP nationally, saying, “We also need to go to all communities no matter how blue they are.” Zeldin later publicly confirmed his interest in the job. But to capture it, he’ll have to run against the current RNC leader Ronna McDaniel, who says she is running for reelection. IT’S FRIDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: EDurkin@politico.com and agronewold@politico.com , or on Twitter: @erinmdurkin and @annagronewold WHERE’S KATHY? In Erie County monitoring storm developments. WHERE’S ERIC? Calling into to WABC’s “Bernie & Sid in the Morning” radio show and Caribbean Power Jam Radio’s “The Reset Talk Show,” hosting a DNC 2024 Bid Committee breakfast, signing a package of rodent-related bills and delivering remarks at the Muslim Cultural Center. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "That's pretty gangster." — Rep. Jamaal Bowman, who said he will support Jeffries, on the possibility both Democratic leaders in Congress being New Yorkers, via New Republic’s Grace Segers
| | | | A message from Grubhub: Grubhub partners with restaurants across New York City to help them expand their reach. From providing marketing services to setting up online store fronts, Grubhub is there to help restaurants find new customers and serve their local communities. Learn More. | | | |  | WHAT CITY HALL IS READING | | Top aide to Eric Adams set to resign , by POLITICO’s Sally Goldenberg: Government veteran Lorraine Grillo, who runs City Hall as first deputy to Mayor Eric Adams, is leaving her post in the coming weeks. Grillo’s pending departure — a rumored move first reported by The Daily News, and which she disclosed in an interview Thursday with POLITICO — marks a significant turnover at the highest levels of City Hall just one year into Adams’ administration. Grillo’s planned last day is Jan. 6, following the expected exit next month of the mayor’s longtime confidant and current chief of staff, Frank Carone. “ Federal Judge Kicks Rikers Receivership Question Down Road ,” by The City’s Reuven Blau: “Despite a spike in violence and deaths in city jails, a federal judge Thursday rejected demands from inmate advocates to strip control of jails from the City Hall by transferring the Department of Correction to a 'receiver.' Laura Taylor Swain, the chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, said Department of Correction Commissioner Louis Molina deserved more time to implement his own plan for action. ‘With sustained commitment of action the department can build a foundation on which reform can be achieved,’ Swain ruled after a two-hour hearing at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse in Lower Manhattan.” — A Manhattan neurologist who killed himself at Rikers was supposed to be on suicide watch , according to a report by the Board of Correction. “ Manhattan D.A. Tosses Nearly 200 Convictions Tied to Discredited Officers ,” by The New York Times’ Hurubie Meko: “The Manhattan district attorney’s office on Thursday sought the dismissal of 188 misdemeanor convictions, going as far back as 2001, that were tied to the work of eight New York Police Department officers, sergeants and detectives who have since been discredited. The move follows similar actions by prosecutors across the city in a sweeping effort to review cases that relied on police officers who were convicted of official misconduct and other crimes related to their work.” Why charter advocates see hope for lifting the cap after Hochul’s nod , by POLITICO’s Madina Touré: Gov. Kathy Hochul raised eyebrows last month when she expressed support for lifting the cap on the number of charter schools in New York City during a gubernatorial debate — the first time she made a definitive comment on the issue since she became governor. Now the question is what will become of her one-word answer — “yes” — when asked about lifting the cap during the debate’s lightning round Oct. 25. Hochul has not elaborated on her position since then. Prior to the debate, she told POLITICO her administration has spoken about giving parents more options, but that they were not “prepared to talk about it right now.” “ Covid Almost Broke This Hospital. It Also Might Be What Saves It ,” by The New York Times’ Joseph Goldstein DNC AFFAIRS — Mayor Eric Adams is hosting a pep rally of sorts at Gracie Mansion today, as he continues his push to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Manhattan. The DNC's host committee is billing the breakfast as a "call to action" for the city's business and civic leaders to join forces with City Hall as it competes for the chance to hold the presidential nominating convention at Madison Square Garden . Among those expected to attend are Kathy Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City; homeless services provider and former politician Christine Quinn; celebrity chef Tom Colicchio; and developer Steve Roth of Vornado, according to a spokesperson for Adams. A City Hall official said the host committee has raised nearly $10 million so far.. New York is competing for the opportunity against Chicago, Houston and Atlanta. — Sally Goldenberg
| | | | POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP . | | | | | | | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | “ Hochul's top budget advisor is departing ,” by Spectrum’s Nick Reisman: “Robert Mujica, the long serving budget director for two governors, is stepping down at the end of the year, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office on Thursday confirmed. Mujica will lead Puerto Rico’s Financial Oversight and Management Board and will make the transition by the end of the year, Hochul’s office said. Mujica had been a holdover from the Cuomo administration when Hochul assumed office in August 2021. … A source familiar with the discussions said Thursday Mujica's departure had been in the works since September.” “ New York Overpaid $194 Million for Medicaid During the Pandemic, Comptroller Audit Finds ,” by Gotham Gazette’s Ethan Geringer-Sameth: “New York State overpaid more than $194 million in Medicaid payments during the pandemic after state officials failed to move eligible recipients to a cheaper funding plan, according to the Office of State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. An audit of Medicaid payments from March 2021 to March 2022 found the state Department of Health continued to pay higher premiums to care management organizations even after receiving federal authorization to move some Medicaid recipients to a different plan at a fraction of the cost. New York Democrats look for someone to blame after election catastrophe , by POLITICO’s Joseph Spector: An aggressive redistricting plan that failed in the courts. Lackluster campaign coordination. And a weak showing at the top of the ticket. New York Democrats can name a lot of reasons for their poor Election Day performance. But the end result was this: One of the bluest states in the nation delivered House seat after House seat to Republicans, aiding the party’s seizure of the majority. — “ NY Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs hanging on, despite replacement push ,” by WNYC’s Jon Campbell: “Progressive-minded Democrats in recent days have pushed the name of L. Joy Williams, a longtime Democratic strategist who heads the Brooklyn NAACP, as a potential Jacobs replacement, while some have also mentioned outgoing Rep. Mondaire Jones of the Hudson Valley as a possibility. In an interview with Gothamist, Williams confirmed she has ‘an interest in helping to build the party in whatever capacity’ and has been taking calls from a number of supportive Democrats in recent days.’” “ Showered with subsidies, GlobalFoundries, Micron eye cuts ,” by Times Union’s Larry Rulison: “Just months after President Joe Biden signed the $52 billion CHIPS Act that will provide billions of dollars to chipmakers to build new factories in the United States and expand existing facilities — and just weeks after U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and Gov. Kathy Hochul celebrated a landmark deal to convince Micron Technology to build a massive new factory outside of Syracuse, the industry is starting to signal that it needs to put the brakes on spending. GlobalFoundries and others have said they plan job cuts and hiring freezes. And Micron says it will cut memory chip production by 20 percent, along with pulling back on capital spending.” “ Iwen Chu declares victory in tight Brooklyn race, becomes first Asian woman elected to N.Y. Senate ,” by New York Daily News’ Denis Slattery: “Iwen Chu is heading to Albany as the first Asian-American woman elected to serve in the state Senate as Democrats eye keeping their supermajority in the upper chamber. The Brooklyn Dem declared victory on Wednesday, more than a week after Election Day results showed her in a close race against Republican Vito Labella for a newly drawn Senate district. ‘We won!’ Chu tweeted.” #UpstateAmerica: As snow began to hit Buffalo at rates of one to two inches per hour , the Bills game against the Browns was moved indoors .
| | | | A message from Grubhub:   | | | | | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | Trump Org. cleaned up illegal practices when Trump became president, ex-CFO testifies , by POLITICO’s Erin Durkin: The Trump Organization engaged in an effort to clean up its act and stop fraudulent tax practices to avoid scrutiny when Donald Trump became president, the company’s former chief financial officer told a jury Thursday. Allen Weisselberg, a longtime top executive at the Trump Organization, took the stand for his second day of testimony at the company’s criminal tax fraud trial in state Supreme Court in Manhattan. “We were going through an entire clean up process to make sure that since Mr. Trump was now president, that everything was done properly,” Weisselberg contended. “ Writer Who Accused Trump of Rape to File New Defamation Lawsuit ,” by The New York Times’ Benjamin Weiser: “When the writer E. Jean Carroll three years ago accused President Donald J. Trump of raping her in the mid-1990s in a department store dressing room, he denied having assaulted her and branded her a liar. Ms. Carroll sued Mr. Trump for defamation, claiming his statements had harmed her reputation. Mr. Trump and the Justice Department pushed back, arguing that he made his comments in his official capacity as president — which for legal reasons meant Ms. Carroll’s lawsuit would have to be dismissed. But Mr. Trump is no longer president.”
| | | | GO INSIDE THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO is featuring a special edition of our “Future Pulse” newsletter at the 2022 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit from Dec. 6 to 8. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of health industry leaders and innovators solving the biggest global health issues to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE . | | | | | | | AROUND NEW YORK | | — The gunman accused of killing ten people in a racist massacre in Buffalo has agreed to plead guilty . — The City Council will hold hearings on Mayor Eric Adams’ response to the migrant crisis. — Alessandra Biaggi has no regrets . — Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said he has zero tolerance for discriminatory language after a retired police officer testified the department’s regular use of racial slurs. — The PSC approved a new transmission line for offshore wind in Long Island. — Workers at seven city Starbucks stores went on strike . — The city is ending its program giving the monkeypox vaccine from mobile vans parked outside of gay clubs and community centers. — Security companies have been illegally installing trackers on city trees. | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: former Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.) … Ashish Kumbhat of Bank of America … Megyn Kelly … NYT’s Sheryl Gay Stolberg … POLITICO’s Heidi Przybyla and Hailey Fuchs … Tom Namako of NBC News … Robert Dougherty of Rep. Pat Ryan’s (D-N.Y.) office … NBC’s Morgan Radford … Eric Sayler MAKING MOVES — Stephen Smith is launching the Center for Building in North America , a non-profit devoted to policy analysis and advocacy around construction in the US and Canada, and will be its executive director. He previously worked in journalism and at a real estate tech start-up. MEDIAWATCH — A man with an ax and sword entered The New York Times building and asked to speak to the political section.
| | | | A message from Grubhub: Dawn and her daughter Jade opened The Nourish Spot in Jamaica, Queens with the goal of introducing healthy food options in their local community. Today, Dawn and Jade partner with Grubhub to make sure people know about The Nourish Spot, not only in Southeast Queens but across New York City. Learn more about how Grubhub’s marketing tools help restaurants, like the Nourish Spot, find new customers and grow their businesses. Learn More. | | | | | Real Estate | | “ NYC Council clears latest hurdle for Innovation Queens project in Astoria worth $2 billion ,” by New York Daily News’ Michael Gartland: “A controversial rezoning that would pave the way for a $2 billion project in Queens got a key approval Thursday from the City Council’s Zoning Subcommittee — even though the project’s contours have yet to be fully agreed upon. The 7-0 subcommittee vote means the proposal, known as Innovation Queens, will be sent to the Council’s Land Use Committee for a vote on Monday. ... "That will give the developers, Mayor Adams’ administration and New York City Councilwoman Julie Won, who represents Astoria, where the project is planned, time to hash out details. The subcommittee also approved a rezoning in East New York that would pave the way for the Christian Cultural Center to oversee the construction of nearly 2,000 affordable housing units in Brooklyn.” “ Widow kicked out of home, African art collection in jeopardy, as city orders demo of Bed-Stuy building ,” by WNYC’s Gwynne Hogan: “A widow was ordered to vacate her home of more than a decade and the fate of her late husband’s African art collection hangs in the balance, as the New York City Department of Buildings pursues an order to demolish her home due to a crack in the building’s rear wall. Barbara Wentt-Simmons, a 69-year-old public school dance teacher, is trying to stave off her home’s destruction and that of the Simmons Collection African Arts Museum, a shuttered community museum run by her late husband Stanfield Simmons Jr. until his death in 2010.” “ Republicans Won Big on Long Island. So Did Affordable Housing ,” by New York Focus’ Sam Mellins: “Every weekday, Petya Dimitrova and Mike Hinz spend three hours commuting to and from their jobs in the Hamptons. The couple used to live in a basement apartment near their jobs, until their landlord declined to renew their lease last year. ... After three months of searching, they found their current apartment, a one-bedroom in Manorville, Long Island, more than 30 miles west of their old place. Dimitrova and Hinz are members of a growing group of middle-class Long Islanders pushed out of the island’s ritzy eastern towns by record-high home prices and a severe dearth of rentals under $3,000 a month — fueled by a long-standing hostility to building new housing.”
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