No honeymoon for Hochul

From: POLITICO New York Playbook - Tuesday Jan 03,2023 12:31 pm

Jan 03, 2023

Presented by KNOW US

Gov. Kathy Hochul just got inaugurated as New York’s first woman elected governor, but there’s no such thing as a honeymoon when you’ve already been in office for a year and change. In fact, she’s jumping into her first full term with a big fight on her hands: Democrats balking at confirming her choice to be the state’s chief judge.

Hochul was sworn in at a New Year’s Day inauguration ceremony, after winning an uncomfortably close election against Republican Lee Zeldin. "I didn’t come here to make history. I came to make a difference,” she said. High on the agenda are crime — with Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams plotting another try at overhauling state bail laws in the new year — and housing affordability initiatives.

Kathy Hochul, center, is sworn into office.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, center, is sworn into office as as New York's 57th governor by NAACP President Hazel N. Dukes, right, during an inauguration ceremony, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Albany, N.Y. | AP Photo/Hans Pennink

But the first hurdle will be overcoming fierce opposition from fellow Democrats over Hector LaSalle. A dozen Senate Democrats, including deputy majority leader Mike Gianaris, are vowing to vote against the nomination along with progressives arguing he is too conservative for the job, citing rulings they see as hostile to labor and reproductive rights.

That leaves Hochul short of votes she will need to get LaSalle confirmed without Republican help, setting her up for a potentially embarrassing defeat. So far, she’s sticking by the nominee, who would be the state's first Latino chief judge, and a coalition of Latino leaders spoke out in support of LaSalle on Monday.

Perhaps it will buy her a little goodwill that Hochul also took a minute over the holiday weekend to sign a $32,000 pay raise for legislators into law, though she opted not to hold out and seek explicit concessions in exchange for her signature.

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WHERE’S KATHY? In Albany with no announced public schedule.

WHERE’S ERIC? Appearing on WABC’s “Bernie and Sid in the Morning” and attending a reading of Willie Mae Brown’s book, “My Selma: True Stories of a Southern Childhood at the Height of the Civil Rights Movement.”

A message from KNOW US:

KNOW US! With NYC antisemitic hate crimes doubling year over year, it’s more important than ever for our public discourse to promote facts, not tropes or bigotry. Some have engaged in a smear campaign against Orthodox and Hasidic Jews recently, and that’s not just wrong, it’s dangerous. As it would be if perpetrated against any minority. Challenge your preconceived notions: Get to KNOW US and champion Faith, Freedom, and Facts!

What City Hall's reading

“Islamic Extremism Drove Suspect in Times Square Attack, Official Says,” by The New York Times’ Andy Newman and Mihir Zaveri: “The man charged with attacking three police officers with a machete near Times Square on New Year’s Eve had traveled to New York from his home in Maine to injure the police in an act of Islamic extremism, a senior law enforcement official said on Monday. The man, Trevor Bickford, 19, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of attempted assault, the police announced on Monday.”

“New York City police have stopped and questioned more people this year than last, as Mayor Adams cracks down on crime,” by Gothamist’s Isidoro Rodriguez: “Police stops are a tactic that has evolved dramatically in New York in recent years. Mayor Eric Adams, who made crime fighting the centerpiece of his first year in office, says he believes the practice can be effective if officers are trained properly. In the first nine months of his administration, police reported 11,232 pedestrian stops – a 22% increase over the entire year of 2021, according to the NYCLU.”

“NYC hails its first legal, recreational weed sales, ends the party for others,” by WNYC’s Arya Sundaram: “New York City’s first licensed recreational marijuana dispensary served over 500 customers during its grand opening on Thursday, but those patrons weren’t the only ones on the hunt for weed. Amid the hubbub over the start of legal, recreational-use sales, the Sheriff’s Interagency Enforcement Task Force was on the lookout for illegal storefront operations. ... Officials issued 21 civil summonses and seven criminal summonses carrying $26,300 in penalties, according to city data.”

Eric Adams fights crime by day, parties by night and thinks he’s the future of the Democratic Party, by POLITICO’s Julia Marsh and Sally Goldenberg: As he ends his first year, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has rebranded one of the top political jobs in the country. After 12 years of Mike Bloomberg — a nasally technocrat disgusted by partisan politics — and two terms of liberal Bill de Blasio — a hyper-partisan Democrat who found himself at odds with virtually everyone in the business — Adams made his own idiosyncratic mark on the office. The self-professed mayor of “swagger,” whose press conferences were even spoofed on Saturday Night Live, Adams has injected the role with the bravado of past New York City mayors like John Lindsay, Ed Koch and Rudy Giuliani.

WHAT ALBANY'S READING

“Judge rules NY gun ban in places of worship is unconstitutional, but restriction remains for now,” by WNYC’s Samantha Max: “A federal judge in Buffalo ruled that New York’s ban on guns in places of worship is unconstitutional, but guns will still be prohibited in churches, mosques and synagogues — at least for now. In an order filed on Thursday in the Western District of New York, federal Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. said the state’s new concealed carry law violates the Second Amendment, goes against U.S. Supreme Court precedent, and could cause irreparable harm to a pastor and his church.”

“Democrats set to bar Lester Chang taking NYC seat,” by New York Post’s Carl Campanile: “Democrats in the state Assembly are set to block Republican Assemblyman-elect Lester Chang from being seated this week after leadership’s investigative report concluded he was only a ‘visitor’ to the Brooklyn district from which he was elected. Democrats control the Assembly and will discuss the politically explosive issue of whether not to seat the election-winning Chang during a private noon conference on Tuesday, sources said.”

“A new year brings a series of new laws. Here's a breakdown,” by Times Union’s Brendan J. Lyons: “After former Cohoes Mayor Shawn M. Morse pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges in August 2019, the situation unsettled his colleagues on the city's Common Council who were fearful that the embattled first-term mayor would not step down immediately. Under federal law, Morse's guilty plea was not considered a ‘conviction’ until six months later, when a federal judge sentenced him to probation, 200 hours of community service and a $3,000 fine.”

#UpstateAmerica: A rare band of bobcats was spotted fishing on a backyard Brunswick pond.

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FROM THE DELEGATION

“Brazilian Authorities Revive Fraud Case Against George Santos,” by The New York Times’ Grace Ashford and André Spigariol: “When Representative-elect George Santos takes his seat in Congress on Tuesday, he will do so under the shadow of active investigations by federal and local prosecutors into potential criminal activity during his two congressional campaigns. But an older criminal case may be more pressing: Brazilian law enforcement authorities intend to revive fraud charges against Mr. Santos, and will seek his formal response, prosecutors told The New York Times on Monday.”

— “George Santos funneled $25K to Lee Zeldin’s campaign for governor — and then reimbursed himself,” by New York Daily News’ Chris Sommerfeldt

— An outgoing Republican congressman said Santos should consider resigning.

— Rep. Elise Setefanik, who was just re-elected as GOP conference chair, has not commented on Santos.

“House committee targeting N.Y comptroller DiNapoli over fraud report timing,” by New York Daily News’ Michael McCauliff: “The incoming head of the House Oversight Committee is targeting state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli over the massive fraud in New York’s pandemic unemployment relief, alleging a damning report was delayed for political purposes. DiNapoli’s office released a report on Nov. 15 that documented at least $11 billion of fraud in the expanded unemployment benefits that the federal government funded in New York alone.”

TRUMP'S NEW YORK

“Trump Tax Returns Undermine His Image as a Successful Entrepreneur,” by The New York Times’ Jim Tankersley, Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner: “The returns, which cover the tax years 2015 through 2020, do not show much success for Mr. Trump in his recent business dealings. They show Mr. Trump often reported heavy losses from his own ventures, even as he continued to cash in on assets he inherited… In 2018, after a decade in which the former president declared no taxable income according to tax returns reviewed by The Times, Mr. Trump reported taxable income of more than $24 million. He paid nearly $1 million in federal taxes, nearly the entire total he paid as president. That income appeared to be the result of more than $14 million in gains from the sale of an investment his father had made in the 1970s, a Brooklyn housing complex named Starrett City, which became part of Mr. Trump’s inheritance.”

AROUND NEW YORK

— Rep. Joe Sempolinski has left office after his four-month tenure.

— Rensselaer County Republican elections commissioner Jason T. Schofield is scheduled to plead guilty to federal criminal charges.

— A bill to overhaul the state's compensation policies in cases of wrongful death is on Hochul’s desk, but still in limbo.

— After nearly 100 days, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York still has not released key documents regarding its cannabis fund oversight.

— Balmy weather drew thousands to the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge.

— Saratoga Spring residents were urged to boil tap water before drinking it after a damaged water pipe created concerns about bacteria contamination.

— Video shows NYPD officers allowing members of the Proud Boys to enter the subway without paying the fare.

A message from KNOW US:

Faith. Freedom. Facts! KNOW US! With NYC antisemitic hate crimes doubling year over year, it’s more important than ever for our public discourse to promote facts, not tropes or bigotry. Some have engaged in a smear campaign against Orthodox and Hasidic Jews recently, and that’s not just wrong, it’s dangerous. As it would be if perpetrated against any minority. If certain outlets and content providers cannot profile any of the thousands of successful Orthodox Jewish business leaders, entrepreneurs, lawyers, accountants, medical professionals, religious leaders, skilled trades workers, architects, and small business owners, that is telling. We ask all New Yorkers to respect diversity and embrace the cultural patchwork that is New York. It’s time to champion faith, freedom, and facts. Get to KNOW US!

SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NYT’s David Fahrenthold and Marc Tracy … Verizon’s Chris DeBosier … David Margolick … former Treasury Secretary W. Michael Blumenthal … McKinsey’s Jonathan Spaner … Samantha Segan

MAKING MOVES — Dan Eisenberg is joining the law firm Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel. He was previously deputy staff director and senior counsel to the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

Real Estate

“Is New York City facing a ‘doom loop’ scenario? A discussion has started,” by WNYC’s Arun Venugopal: “A little after 10 a.m. on a recent morning, Joseph Bowen took a break from working at home to send his wife a quick text message. She was just around the corner from their Jackson Heights apartment, meeting a friend at the K&L Deli. ... In pre-pandemic times, Bowen would have been in the West Village, having traveled to his office tech job. He might have bought coffee or breakfast near work, then picked up a $10-$12 lunch from a cart. Now that cash is more likely to be spent near his home in Queens, and the commuter money he previously handed over to the MTA stays in his pocket.”

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