Bragg, Blakeman and the Nassau crime conflict

From: POLITICO New York Playbook - Friday Jan 20,2023 12:47 pm

Jan 20, 2023

By Anna Gronewold, Sally Goldenberg and Eleonora Francica

Presented by Menthols Kill NYC

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg was enjoying a string of wins at the start of his second year in office after spending much of his first clarifying attention-grabbing campaign plans to pull back on prosecutions. He secured the maximum penalty against the Trump Organization for criminal tax fraud this month, just three days after getting a five-month jail sentence for the firm’s former CFO on related charges.

But now he’s facing renewed criticism for being too soft on crime. Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman held a press conference Thursday denouncing the Democratic DA’s plan to offer a plea deal to a suspect in a violent antisemitic attack.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg exits the courtroom after the jury found the Trump Organization guilty on all counts in a criminal tax fraud case, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

On Jan. 26, Waseem Awawdeh is expected to accept the deal, which allows him to plead guilty to attempted assault in the second degree as a hate crime. The class D felony comes with a sentence of six months jail time and five years of probation.

The victim, who was wearing a yarmulke at the time of the May incident, lives in Nassau County. “The ringleader of this violent attack is now being offered a slap on the wrist,” Blakeman told POLITICO. “The message he’s sending is, ‘We will be lenient on hate crimes.’”

A spokesperson for Bragg disputed Blakeman’s claim that Awawdeh was the ringleader and noted that two other individuals involved in the attack face prison sentences of up to 15 years.

Blakeman is hoping Bragg will withdraw the deal — an unlikely prospect — while warning the repercussions of this one agreement could be widespread. “The fact of the matter is people will not travel into Manhattan if they don’t feel safe. Mayor Adams is trying to correct a crime problem and Alvin Bragg is not giving him any help. He’s hurting him,” Blakeman said.

Seems far-fetched? Maybe not. In the November midterms, crime resonated strongly with voters in the city’s suburbs, helping Republicans take one open House seat and pull three more away from Democratic control. – Julia Marsh

IT’S FRIDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: agronewold@politico.com and sgoldenberg@politico.com or on Twitter: @annagronewold and @sallygold

WHERE’S KATHY? Speaking at the General Motors Rochester plant.

WHERE’S ERIC? Delivering remarks at retirement party of Taino Towers Executive Director Maria Cruz.

ABOVE THE FOLD — “Pressure to Boost Spending Shapes City and State Budgets Despite Revenue Risks,” by THE CITY’s Greg David: “His push for spending cuts amid projected rising revenue has spurred a wave of protests calling for more spending to meet the needs of New Yorkers. The same scenario is likely to play out in Albany in a few weeks, when Gov. Kathy Hochul unveils her budget for the state’s fiscal year with state tax revenues almost $8 billion higher than expected — even as a possible economic downturn and retrenchment on Wall Street could spell trouble in the coming months.

"While every city and state budget sparks a tug of war between those who want to spend more and those who want to spend less, the gulf in outlooks between the camps is much wider in recent years, with very different views of the financial picture that lies ahead for the state and city and how that should translate into the next budgets.”

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WHAT CITY HALL IS READING

Adams fundraising haul buoyed by swell of real estate cash, by POLITICO’s Sally Goldenberg and Joe Anuta: Real estate executives poured money into the mayor’s re-election account last year, bolstering his formidable filing of nearly $1.3 million that was made public Wednesday by the New York City Campaign Finance Board. Among the donors from the city’s real estate sector were luxury developer William Lie Zeckendorf, who gave the maximum $2,100 contribution, and Bess Freedman, head of high-end residential brokerage Brown Harris Stevens, who chipped in $1,000. They were joined by a host of others in the development, construction and brokerage industries who are regular donors to many sitting politicians, and clearly want to keep Adams in office.

“Ex-SBA president Ed Mullins pleads guilty to defrauding police union,” by Newsday’s Anthony M. DeStefano: “Ed Mullins, the former controversial head of the New York City Police Department's Sergeants Benevolent Association, pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon to federal charges that he defrauded the union. In a proceeding before Manhattan federal district judge James Koeltl, Mullins, 61, admitted submitting false and inflated expense invoices in the amount of $600,000 to the SBA for reimbursement. He said he committed the fraud by inflating expense receipts and having the union pay some of his personal expenses.”

“Going Down: Entrapments Plague MTA’s Expensive New Elevators,” by THE CITY’s Jose Martinez: “The brand-new elevators at the Clark Street stop are up to the old lifts’ tricks — leaving riders trapped inside just months after the MTA closed the Brooklyn Heights station for half a year as part of a nearly $30 million project to replace the famously faulty devices. … Since the stop reopened, MTA statistics show that the three elevators at the Clark Street station combined to generate 35 non-scheduled service outages and 11 'entrapments' through the end of 2022.”

DOLPHINS! In the Bronx River! (This is good, Parks says.) via WNYC’s Catalina Gonella

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

WHAT ALBANY'S READING

After Senate flex on Hochul judge pick, a budget battle looms, by POLITICO’s Anna Gronewold and Joseph Spector: Gov. Kathy Hochul tried to use the power of her office to ram through her chief judge nominee. The New York Senate used its own power back. After the Democratic majority quashed Hochul’s pick for chief judge Wednesday in the Senate Judiciary Committee, the newly elected governor and Legislature could face an era of political flexing that has been largely absent since she took office.

— Republicans in the state Senate, like Hochul, are not ruling out legal action to force a full chamber vote on LaSalle.

— NYS Senate judiciary chair suggests conservatives need not apply for top judgeships,” by New York Post’s Zach Williams: “Fresh off voting down on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s centrist nominee to lead the state’s highest court, the head of the Senate’s Judiciary Committee declared Thursday that progressive Democrats would not allow anyone who ever appeared on the Conservative Party line to get a judgeship. ‘That’s a decision to take a line from a party that is opposed to reproductive health, that is opposed to workers rights, that is opposed to LGBTQ marriage equality,’ Judiciary Committee Chair Brad Hoylman-Sigal (D-Manhattan) told WNYC. ‘I hope we have made it clear moving forward that we will not accept the nomination of judges who run on that line.’"

— The New York State Bar Association is presenting a Distinguished Jurist Award to LaSalle today.

“New York's tax revenue continues to pour in amid economic worries,” by Spectrum News’ Nick Reisman: “Tax revenue in New York continued apace over the last several months, with money coming into the state at a faster clip than expected, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli on Thursday said. The higher-than-expected revenue from taxes like the personal income tax and consumption and use taxes come against the backdrop of broad concerns the economy may be slowing down and risking a recession.”

“Michael Henry in bid to become New York Republican Party leader,” by The New York Post’s Carl Campanile: “Michael Henry, the underdog candidate who put up a strong showing in the race for state Attorney General last year, is seeking to become the next chairman of the New York State Republican Party.”

“Dems back climate bills, including 'Superfund' to make oil companies foot the bill,” by Times Union’s Raga Justin: “Nearly four years ago, New York committed itself to what lawmakers billed as the most progressive — and aggressive — climate plan in the country. It requires the state to transition away from most of its carbon emissions within the decade, while prioritizing communities that have long been most affected by pollution zones and major natural disasters.”

HERE’S A FULL LIST of the more than 1,800 requests for personalized license plates that were rejected in 2022. You’re welcome.

#UpstateAmerica: A Niskayuna 16-year-old can’t drive a car by himself yet, but he can fly a plane.

A message from Menthols Kill NYC:

FROM THE DELEGATION

“Embattled U.S. Rep. George Santos was drag queen in Brazil pageants, associates say,” by Reuters’ Steven Grattan: "U.S. Representative George Santos competed as a drag queen in Brazilian beauty pageants 15 years ago, two acquaintances told Reuters on Wednesday, adding to contrasts that have drawn criticism of the openly gay Republican congressman's staunchly conservative views.”

— For all his tall tales, Santos is denying this one.

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AROUND NEW YORK

— The New York City Board of Correction may soon have two new members, including a former Rikers Island doctor.

— Federal prosecutors dismissed charges against NYPD community officer Baijmadajie Angwang, who had been accused of spying for China.

— Former narcotics detective Joseph Franco, accused of repeatedly lying about drug sales that led to jail time, is now on trial.

— Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin chatted with Hochul.

— Dozens of New York City employees who lost their jobs for not complying with the Covid-19 vaccine mandate have filed a $250 million lawsuit.

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Watch NAACP leader Hazel Dukes’ message on menthol here.

Go to MentholsKillNYC.org to learn more.

SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Bill Maher … Kellyanne Conway … Nikki Haley … Paul Mandelson of Deloitte … former Rep. Bill Owens (D-N.Y.) … WSJ’s James Grimaldi … CBS’ Maria Gavrilovic … Dan Schneider of Business Roundtable … CNN’s Diane Ruggiero … Global Strategy Group’s Tanya Meck … FTI Consulting’s Ben Watson and Shannon Bañaga … Abby Greensfelder … Alaina Gilligo, head of strategic partnerships at Gilbane Building Company and former first deputy comptroller (h/t Sabrina Rezzy)

MEDIA MOVE — Cecilia Vega is joining CBS as a correspondent for “60 Minutes.” She currently is chief White House correspondent at ABC. More from WaPo

ENGAGED — Dustin Volz, cybersecurity and intelligence reporter at the Wall Street Journal, recently proposed to Caitlin Piper, counsel in the tax group at Hogan Lovells. The proposal took place in the Arctic Circle in Finland while the two were trying (and failing) to see the northern lights after a day of feeding reindeer. The couple met in fall 2020 on a dating app when Caitlin recognized Dustin from frequent complaints her friend and roommate, a government spokeswoman, made about him. Pic

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