| | | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin and Anna Gronewold with Jonathan Custodio | Presented by New Yorkers for Responsible Gaming | It was one year ago today that Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio held a rare joint appearance to discuss the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in New York, reported a day earlier. Here was Cuomo, summing up the core message of the day : "We should relax, because that's what's dictated by the reality of the situation." The governor and mayor said the disease was not life-threatening for otherwise healthy adults and children. They said it would not spread through casual contact. They said the new virus was less of a threat than the Ebola scare in 2014. Cuomo again: "Excuse our arrogance as New Yorkers. I speak for the Mayor also on this one. We think we have the best health care system on the planet right here in New York. So, when you're saying what happened in other countries versus what happened here, we don't even think it's going to be as bad as it was in other countries." Almost all of that, of course, turned out to be entirely wrong. And the health care worker who tested positive after returning from Iran was not the first case at all — not by a longshot. The disease had been quietly spreading through the city for weeks, researchers later discovered. It's hard to forget what happened next: sirens, overwhelmed hospitals, not enough ventilators, field hospitals in Central Park and on the Hudson River, refrigerated trucks full of corpses, mass burials on Hart Island, and death on a scale few of us have witnessed. In the year since, 29,408 people have died from the disease in New York City alone, and 38,577 statewide (not an apples to apples comparison because the state still counts fewer deaths than the city). "This has been the longest year in the history of this city," de Blasio said Monday. (Cuomo, who might otherwise have marked the occasion, was still in hiding.) Only now is New York beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel, with a vaccination drive underway that should eventually bring the virus to heel. But not quite yet: In Monday's data, another 80 New Yorkers died from Covid-19. IT'S TUESDAY. 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 ANDREW? In Albany with no announced public schedule. DAYS SINCE CUOMO HAS TAKEN PRESS QUESTIONS: 8 WHERE'S BILL? Holding a media availability. ABOVE THE FOLD: "ANNA RUCH had never met Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo before encountering him at a crowded New York City wedding reception in September 2019. Her first impression was positive enough. The governor was working the room after toasting the newlyweds, and when he came upon Ms. Ruch, now 33, she thanked him for his kind words about her friends. But what happened next instantly unsettled her : Mr. Cuomo put his hand on Ms. Ruch's bare lower back, she said in an interview on Monday. When she removed his hand with her own, Ms. Ruch recalled, the governor remarked that she seemed 'aggressive' and placed his hands on her cheeks. He asked if he could kiss her, loudly enough for a friend standing nearby to hear. Ms. Ruch was bewildered by the entreaty, she said, and pulled away as the governor drew closer. 'I was so confused and shocked and embarrassed,' said Ms. Ruch, whose recollection was corroborated by the friend, contemporaneous text messages and photographs from the event. 'I turned my head away and didn't have words in that moment.'" New York Times' Matt Flenenheimer and Jesse McKinley — And there's a photo. | | A message from New Yorkers for Responsible Gaming: With COVID crippling the economy and creating a $14.5 billion state budget deficit, accelerating growth of EXISTING gaming FACILITIES Downstate can be a win-win for all of New York. A recent NYS Gaming Commission study estimated it "could generate between $420 million and $630 million" annually, creating thousands of Union jobs with industry-leading wages and benefits and billions for public education. Join the 70% of New Yorkers who support accelerated gaming options for downstate facilities. Learn more | | |
|  | WHAT CITY HALL'S READING | | MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO suggested Monday that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will have to step down if an investigation into sexual harassment allegations by two former aides corroborates the accusations... De Blasio said an older man trying to take advantage of a younger woman to make her feel like she could lose her job if she does not consent is "horrible" — and suggested Cuomo should step down if he's found to have engaged in sexual harassment. "If someone purposely tried to use their power to force a woman to have sex with them, of course that's someone who should no longer be in public service," de Blasio said during his daily press briefing. The mayor has called for the immediate cancellation of Cuomo's emergency powers as well as two separate independent investigations into his behavior. POLITICO's Madina Touré "THE BIG STATE-RUN COVID-19 vaccination sites in New York City are administering shots to massive numbers of out-of-towners — rather than Big Apple residents, Mayor Bill de Blasio charged Monday. The mayor complained that a whopping 75 percent of the coronavirus shots administered at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens were given to people who live outside the city. More than 42 percent of the shots the state gave out at the Javits Center in Manhattan also went to non-city residents, Hizzoner griped at a press briefing. 'The big sites don't help us improve equity,' the mayor said. 'These sites do not perform like we'd like to see.'" New York Post's Carl Campanile, Bernadette Hogan and Kate Sheehy — New Yorkers working and volunteering at nonprofits that help meet the huge pandemic-driven demand for food became eligible Monday for the Covid-19 vaccine. "TRANSIT OFFICIALS are debating whether to reduce service on New York City's subway and bus systems as ridership sputters during the Covid-19 pandemic. The state-controlled Metropolitan Transportation Authority has so far avoided massive cuts to subway and bus service thanks to $8 billion in federal Covid-19 relief and $2.9 billion of federal borrowing to cover operating costs. Some officials say targeted reductions are needed with ridership and fare revenues expected to linger below pre-pandemic levels for years. Others argue that reductions must be weighed against the need to avoid crowding and lure back passengers." Wall Street Journal's Paul Berger — "Florin Petrisor swapped the No. 7 train for an electric scooter and never looked back. Claire McLeveighn started walking to work and hasn't been on the subway since last March. Isaac Himmelman began the pandemic without a bike or a car but now he's 'the proud owner of both.' They are among the millions of New Yorkers who once rode the subway daily, but who, one year into the pandemic, have found other ways to get around — while largely staying away from the transit system." The City's Jose Martinez | | | | DON'T MISS "THE RECAST": Power dynamics are changing. "Influence" is changing. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. "The Recast" is our new, twice-weekly newsletter that breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics, policy, and power in America. And POLITICO is recasting how we report on this crucial intersection, bringing you fresh insights, scoops and dispatches from across the country, and new voices that challenge "business as usual." Don't miss out on this important new newsletter, SUBSCRIBE NOW. Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | |
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "KEY FINANCIAL backers of Andrew Cuomo are pausing and reevaluating their support for the New York governor, who has been accused of sexual harassment by two female former aides, according to people directly involved in fundraising. Several of these people declined to be identified out of fear of retribution from the governor, who will be the subject of an independent state investigation. Cuomo is running for a fourth term in next year's election. 'No one is giving to him now. Everything is on hold,' one finance executive said. Others expressed their befuddlement about the crisis Cuomo faces. 'I think people who like him and have been with him for a long time are scratching their heads, asking how did he put himself in that position,' Bernard Schwartz, a New York businessman who has supported Cuomo for years, told CNBC on Monday." CNBC's Brian Schwartz — Cuomo's office has officially directed state Attorney General Tish James to move forward with an independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment made against the governor. James released a letter with the referral from Cuomo's senior counsel and special adviser Beth Garvey on Monday. "This is not a responsibility we take lightly as allegations of sexual harassment should always be taken seriously," James said in a statement. "As the letter states, at the close of the review, the findings will be disclosed in a public report." The referral allows James to select private attorneys to conduct the review. POLITICO's Anna Gronewold — "Elkan Abramowitz, a one-time federal prosecutor, confirmed to the Wall Street Journal on Monday that he is representing the Executive Chamber — which comprises the governor and his closest aides — in Justice Department inquiries about the state's nursing homes." — Charlotte Bennett, the former Cuomo aide who accused the governor of asking her inappropriate questions about her sex life at work, encouraged other women to come forward and slammed Cuomo for not taking responsibility for his "predatory behavior." GOV. ANDREW CUOMO, who positioned himself as New York's micromanager-in-chief when the pandemic hit the state a year ago, finds himself immersed in the most damaging scandal of his decade-long tenure at the very moment when residents are looking to Albany for leadership on key issues ranging from vaccine distribution to a possible reopening of schools. The prospect of a distracted governor couldn't come at a worse time, some say, especially because of the logistics and coordination required to get shots into the arms of as many New Yorkers as quickly as possible. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, a Republican, said he is concerned that the crisis in the governor's office could have an impact on vaccine distribution. "This is a huge undertaking that needs the entire focus — and has needed the entire focus — of his office," Picente said. "Are they in the bunker mentality? And if they are, that's a dangerous place to be." POLITICO's Marie J. French, Michelle Bocanegra, and Shannon Young FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The city's five chambers of commerce and the Partnership for New York City wrote to state lawmakers pressing them to oppose proposals to hike taxes on the rich. "We write to urge you to resist raising taxes that will slow economic recovery and further damage New York's small business owners and workers who have already suffered so much during the pandemic," wrote the heads of the chambers representing each boroughs and the Partnership, which represents business leaders. A coalition on the left is pushing several bills to raise taxes to close the state's budget deficit , including a stock transfer tax, a tax on accumulated wealth, and an inheritance tax. "Advocates claim that their tax proposals will only impact the wealthy, Wall Street and big corporations, but this is just not true. The targets of 'tax the rich' schemes include many local entrepreneurs as well as the clients and customers that small businesses depend on," the opponents wrote. #UpstateAmerica: 'Romantic thriller filmed in Utica finally gets released' — "The movie is definitely a movie that should have cost a lot more to make than it did," producer and writer Golan Ramraz said. "Not only because of the kindness of Utica, but also because of the kindness of everyone involved." | | | |   | | |
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | "REP. KATHLEEN RICE has become the first Democratic member of Congress to call on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to resign after a third woman came forward with accusations of inappropriate behavior. 'The time has come. The Governor must resign,' Rice, who represents parts of Long Island, wrote on Twitter in response to a new accusation that he made unwanted advances toward a woman at a 2019 wedding. Other state Democratic lawmakers — including state Sens. Gustavo Rivera, Alessandra Biaggi and Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas — also joined in on their calls for Cuomo to resign after Anna Ruch, 33, told the New York Times that the governor made the advances toward her and kissed her on the cheek at a New York City wedding reception." New York Post's Kenneth Grager | | Scranton on the Hudson | | "PRESIDENT BIDEN believes Gov. Cuomo's sexual harassment accusers should be treated with 'respect' and backs New York Attorney General Letitia James' investigation into the unsettling claims, a White House spokeswoman said Monday . Jen Psaki, Biden's press secretary, offered the president's support for James during a briefing at the White House that came one day after the state attorney general got clearance to conduct an independent inquiry into harassment accusations made by ex-Cuomo aides Lindsey Boylan and Charlotte Bennett." New York Daily News' Chris Sommerfeldt | | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | "STATE PROSECUTORS in Manhattan who are investigating former President Donald J. Trump and his family business are sharpening their focus on the company's long-serving chief financial officer, asking witnesses questions about his dealings at the company, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The increased focus on the executive, Allen H. Weisselberg, could step up pressure on him to cooperate with the investigation if the prosecutors unearth evidence of wrongdoing on his part. He has served as the Trump Organization's financial gatekeeper for more than two decades and could be a vital source of information for the government about the inner workings of the company. In recent weeks, the prosecutors working for the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., have been interviewing witnesses who know Mr. Weisselberg and have asked at least one witness about Mr. Weisselberg's sons, Barry and Jack Weisselberg, according to two of the people with knowledge of the matter." New York Times' Ben Protess, William K. Rashbaum and Maggie Haberman | | | | Did you know that POLITICO Pro has coverage and tools at the state level? All the state legislative and regulatory tracking, budget documents, state agency contact information, and everything else you need to stay ahead of state policy movement integrate into our smart and customizable platform. Learn more and become a Pro today. | | | | |
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — A coalition is calling on the next mayor, City Council and borough presidents to commit to converting 25 percent of city streets from car traffic to other uses. — Schools that saw steep enrollment declines won't have to forfeit as much of their budgets as originally feared. — SUNY's UAlbany is being forced to drastically downsize due to deep budget gaps. — A Cheektowaga strip club owner with alleged ties to the Buffalo Mafia (not football this time) has been accused of bribing the DEA. | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NYT's Dave Itzkoff and Katherine Rosman … Laraine Newman ... Alec Brook-Krasny ... Sally Rosen … Joe Scannell … Ashley Chang … Liz Oberg … Caitlin McFall … Kevin Madden MEDIAWATCH — DONALD MCNEIL JR. is out with a four-part series on Medium about his departure from the NYT , concluding with this: "Obviously, I badly misjudged my audience in Peru that year. I thought I was generally arguing in favor of open-mindedness and tolerance — but it clearly didn't come across that way. And my bristliness makes me an imperfect pedagogue for sensitive teenagers. Although the students liked me in 2018, some of those in 2019 clearly detested me. I do not see why their complaints should have ended my career at the Times two years later. But they did. "And now I'd like to put this behind me. I had hoped to be remembered as a good science reporter whose work saved lives. Not for this." WHITE HOUSE DEPARTURE LOUNGE — "White House aide with close progressive ties leaving to join nascent outside group" — CNN: "Rosemary Boeglin, who has been handling the economic portfolio in the White House press shop [and is a de Blasio alum], is expected to play a role in the outside efforts that are still coming together, particularly as the administration works to maintain ties with progressives as their policy agenda takes shape. … "A nonprofit advocacy group, named Building Back Together, will launch next month with the White House's blessing and is expected to air ads and coordinate pro-Biden messaging with other supportive outside groups, sources told CNN earlier this month." WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Chuck Nadd, a major in the U.S. Army and a student at Harvard Business School, and Shannon Nadd recently welcomed John Henry Scott Nadd, who joins Mary Margaret (4) and Peter (3). Pic ... Another pic | | A message from New Yorkers for Responsible Gaming: With COVID crippling the economy and leaving us with a $14.5 billion state budget deficit, accelerating the growth of EXISTING gaming FACILITIES Downstate can be a win-win for all of New York. A recent NYS Gaming Commission study estimated it "could generate between $420 million and $630 million" annually as well as help create thousands of Union jobs with industry-leading wages and benefits and billions in revenue for public education. Join the 70% of New Yorkers statewide that support accelerated gaming options for downstate facilities. Learn more | | |
| | REAL ESTATE | | "NEW YORK CITY will 'un-pause' $17 billion in capital projects exactly a year since the pandemic began in the city, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday. By the end of March, more than 1,700 projects will be given the green light to restart, de Blasio said in a briefing Monday. Projects include construction of new schools, park upgrades, major library projects, work on protecting cyclists and pedestrians, and repairs and replacement of sewer and wastewater management infrastructure. Many of these projects were put on hold due to the pandemic and the resumption will help get New Yorkers back to work, said Lorraine Grillo, the mayor's newly-appointed 'recovery czar,' at the briefing." Bloomberg's Shelly Banjo
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