| | | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin and Anna Gronewold with Jonathan Custodio | Presented by CVS Health | Andrew Yang, already the favorite target for his mayoral opponents on the campaign trail, became the subject of not one but two separate crescendos of criticism from the left this weekend. First up: Abortion, after video resurfaced of Yang during his presidential campaign saying that while he fully supports reproductive rights, Democrats should not be seen as "celebrating an abortion." Yang responded to the criticism Saturday. "I've been a champion of women's reproductive rights from Day One because it's the right thing to do on every level," he said. That didn't stop rivals from piling on, including city Comptroller Scott Stringer, who framed a proposal to double city funding for abortion care as an explicit rebuke of Yang. No sooner had the mayoral front-runner addressed one dustup than he stepped into another, tweeting a lament that "NYC is not enforcing rules against unlicensed street vendors." Pols and lefty groups jumped all over that remark, which came after the City Council voted earlier this year to pass hard-fought legislation to more than double the number of street vendor permits over the next decade. The specter of more enforcement also rekindled outrage over the 2019 arrest of a subway churro vendor , though Yang clarified that he supports more licenses and backs the legislation that passed the Council. "I, for one, will not send undocumented New Yorkers to Rikers for selling churros," Stringer said in a tweet. He's planning an event in Queens today with street vendors and supporters to hammer the point. "Who exactly are you listening to?" candidate Maya Wiley responded to Yang. "The over-policing of vendors is an example of broken windows policing gone wrong and of misplaced priorities and resources." So far, as we've seen before, none of the whacks against or missteps by Yang seem to be doing much to dent his standing at the front of the pack. But there's a whole lot of time left, and a whole lot of voters yet to make up their minds — as shown in another poll out today — and as long as that's the case, rivals will keep looking for something that sticks. IT'S MONDAY. 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? No public schedule available by press time. WHERE'S BILL? No public schedule available by press time. ABOVE THE FOLD: The New York State Department of Health quietly updated its schools guidance on Friday night , halving distancing guidelines to three feet in most cases while emphasizing the state's imperative to return children to classrooms. The guidance for schools from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade came nearly a month after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its minimum school distancing recommendation to three feet, with the exception of middle and high schools in high transmission areas. When the guidance was issued in mid-March, New York City re-opened an opt-in period for more parents to send their kids back to the classroom with the additional capacity. POLITICO's Michelle Bocanegra | | A message from CVS Health: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, CVS Health has been there. We're nearly 300,000 employees ensuring millions of Americans can access health care services. We opened thousands of COVID-19 test sites and administered millions of tests. Now, we're providing the vaccine in designated states. We've been on the frontlines, making health care easier to access and afford. That's health care, from the heart. Learn more. | | |
|  | WHAT CITY HALL'S READING | | AS THE PRIMARY RACE for New York City mayor heads into the final 10 weeks, a left-leaning group — buoyed by a new poll showing popularity for its chief policy goals — is gearing up to make a public case against frontrunner Andrew Yang . The political action committee "Our City" recently commissioned a survey that found 56 percent of likely voters are unsure who to back in the eight-way Democratic primary — a race Yang has dominated since his entry in January. But the same 509 voters said they are looking for a candidate committed to shifting resources away from the NYPD, expanding affordable housing and increasing taxes on high earners to underwrite the city's recovery from Covid-19. That does not describe some of Yang's positions, though he has led every public poll, quickly raised donations and commanded news cycles — all to the detriment of other well-funded campaigns that claim to be more in sync with the progressive movement. The organization said candidate rankings are not available until the pollster, progressive think-tank Data For Progress, finishes analyzing results with regard to the ranked-choice voting system debuting in the city this year. Several people familiar with the survey said Yang maintained a healthy lead, with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, City Comptroller Scott Stringer and former City Hall attorney Maya Wiley trailing him. With what it considers a clear mandate for a policy platform — if not a specific candidate — Our City says it's time to begin warning voters about Yang, an entrepreneur turned presidential candidate who is skeptical about raising taxes on the wealthy and has embraced working with the private sector on the city's recovery. POLITICO's Sally Goldenberg "OVER THE LAST year, New York politics have appeared to lurch ever leftward. First came the primary victories last summer in a series of House and state legislative races, then the legalization of recreational marijuana, and just this week, a state budget agreement that would raise taxes on the wealthy and create a $2.1 billion fund to aid undocumented workers. But in the New York City mayor's race, the two candidates who have most consistently shown strength are among the most moderate in the field. The sustained polling leads of Andrew Yang followed often by Eric Adams have made some left-wing activists and leaders increasingly alarmed about the trajectory of the race, leaving them divided over how to use their considerable influence to shape its outcome before the June 22 primary." The New York Times' Katie Glueck and Dana Rubinstein — "Last fall, Scott Stringer wasn't just confident. 'He was cocky,' said one person close to him. 'He was very aggressive about it, like, "I am going to be the next mayor, and you need to decide if you are with me,"' said another. Stringer had reason for optimism: The city comptroller was the only person in the mayoral field who had been elected to citywide office. He was maxing out in fund-raising, had relatively high name recognition with voters, and had collected a pile of chits from four decades in and around New York politics and government. And perhaps most important, he had shrewdly endorsed a number of far-left insurgents who had run against the political Establishment in 2018 and 2020. Nearly all of them won, then promptly lined up behind Stringer's campaign, adding a youthful activist panache to his otherwise plodding persona … But after climbing at last to the political precipice, Stringer has taken a tumble." David Freedlander in New York magazine NEW YORK'S POLITICAL class descended on Coney Island Friday to open Luna Park and, they hope, herald some kind of return to normalcy. "The rides are open at Coney Island," an ebullient Mayor Bill de Blasio told WNYC's Brian Lehrer after taking the first spin on the Cyclone roller coaster. "It's an amazing feeling as part of the rebirth of the city." He was joined by Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Council Speaker Corey Johnson, state Sen. Diane Savino and a dozen other officials and candidates to ring in the season. The iconic boardwalk has been largely shuttered for more than a year as it endured a "lost summer" in 2020, when the rides, games and throngs went eerily silent in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic. POLITICO's Jonathan Custodio "Four years ago on a December morning inside the grim, granite walls of the Manhattan Detention Complex , correction officer Lawrence Wallace and a colleague applied an 'upper body control hold' to subdue a detainee. The officers said the inmate triggered the fight after he became 'irate' and 'advanced' towards them on November 24th, 2017, according to an initial internal city Department of Correction report. But a little less than two years later Wallace pleaded guilty to an internal department excessive force charge for his role in the violent incident, according to newly released Correction Department records made public after state lawmakers repealed a personnel records law known as Civil Rights Law 50-a. "The Correction Department's data is limited to the last name of each officer, only substantiated cases, and just a few lines describing the wrongdoing. But the records offer a glimpse into the department's disciplinary system . Of the 272 officers who received disciplinary sanctions between Jan. 1, 2019, and Aug. 21, 2020, the data shows nearly three-fourths logged one disciplinary incident during that period... But a few officers, like Wallace, faced discipline for multiple violations, like excessive force and misleading statements, and received what inmate rights' advocates consider to be fairly light penalties." WNYC's George Joseph and The City's Reven Blau | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TO JOIN AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION: Power is changing, in Washington and across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that all politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. Our twice-weekly newsletter "The Recast" breaks down how race and identity are shaping politics and policy in America and we are recasting how we report on it. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear from important new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | |
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATORS hired by Attorney General James' office to probe sexual harassment claims against Gov. Cuomo have wide-ranging powers and are being paid a pretty penny for their work, internal documents obtained by the Daily News reveal. James tasked Joon Kim, former acting U.S attorney for New York's Southern District, and employment discrimination attorney Anne Clark to lead the inquiry last month as accusations against the embattled governor piled up." New York Daily News' Denis Slattery — JCOPE has opened some kind of investigation into something after a secretive meeting. — The New Yorker: 'A Cautionary Tale of Workplace Harassment in the Cuomo Administration' "NEW YORK Gov. Andrew Cuomo frequently uses a state-owned airplane and helicopter to reach the far corners of the state for official business, costing taxpayers nearly $650,000 from 2015 through April 2020, an Insider analysis found … By reviewing five years' worth of the governor's monthly public schedules, Insider identified that Cuomo flew in this state plane over 460 times, accruing some 400 hours of total flight time over five years." Business Insider's Jake Lahut and Hannah Beckler REPUBLICAN REP. Lee Zeldin says he's raised $1 million since launching a gubernatorial campaign on Thursday. A breakdown of the donors likely won't be available until July, but a spokesperson for the campaign said "none of this includes transfers. No PACS, no corporations, no LLCs — these are all individuals." Boasting of first-day fundraising totals is becoming a bit of a rite of passage in New York politics. In 2018, Cynthia Nixon celebrated the fact she received 2,214 checks of less than $200 in the first 24 hours after she announced her plans to primary Gov. Andrew Cuomo, easily surpassing the number of small donors who gave to Cuomo in his first two terms in office. Big early hauls are not necessarily indicative of future financial success... But it might be taken as a sign that Zeldin could be well-positioned to wind up with more cash than any Republican gubernatorial candidate since George Pataki left office in 2006. POLITICO's Bill Mahoney "GAMBLING INDUSTRY experts are hedging their bets after Gov. Cuomo's rollout of legalized mobile sports betting across New York. While no one doubts the house will win — it always does — questions arose about the state's tight control of the plan, the limited number of betting options and the effect on the state's tribal-run casinos. Others suggested Cuomo's prediction of $500 million in state revenue within three years was overly optimistic." New York Daily News' Denis Slattery and Larry McShane #UpstateAmerica: The creator of "Downton Abbey" will begin filming a new series, "The Gilded Age," in Troy next month. The casting company is looking for men with facial hair and women with long hair willing to wear a corset and bustle to serve as extras. | | | |   | | |
| | Biden and the Boroughs | | "THE U.S. Transportation Department has committed to finishing an environmental review for a new Hudson River rail tunnel, after a three-year delay helped prevent the groundbreaking of one of the nation's most urgently needed infrastructure projects. The evaluation of the new commuter link between New Jersey and New York City will be finished by May 28, according to an update to the federal government's online permitting dashboard. If the study is cleared, the $11.6 billion Gateway project could potentially qualify for partial federal funding." Bloomberg's Elise Young | | FROM THE DELEGATION | | "THE HOUSE ETHICS Committee on Friday said it opened an investigation into whether Rep. Tom Reed , a Corning Republican, engaged in sexual misconduct. The panel's move comes three weeks after a former lobbyist accused Reed of making a drunken and inappropriate advance to her in 2017. 'The Committee is aware of public allegations that Representative Tom Reed may have engaged in sexual misconduct, in violation of House Rules, laws, or other standards of conduct,' the panel's Democratic chairman, Rep. Ted Deutch of Florida, said in a statement along with the committee's top Republican, Rep. Jackie Walorski of Indiana." Buffalo News' Jerry Zremski "U.S. REP. Tom Suozzi has taken a leading role in fighting to restore a tax deduction that is important to people who live in and around New York City, and in doing so might be laying the groundwork for another gubernatorial run. Mr. Suozzi, a Democrat who represents parts of Queens and Long Island, has said he won't support President Biden's planned infrastructure and tax package unless it contains language that would restore the full deductibility of state and local income and property taxes, or SALT. That deduction — which Mr. Suozzi and other state officials say is critical for people in high-cost, high-tax states such as New York — was limited to $10,000 by the 2017 federal tax overhaul. While a majority of state residents pay lower federal income taxes as a result of the 2017 law, the new limits forced about a million New Yorkers to pay an additional $12 billion a year to the federal government, state officials estimate." Wall Street Journal's Jimmy Vielkind "HAS THE SQUAD reached detente with Israel? New York Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman both sat down for friendly talks with top Jewish leaders in the Big Apple this week to address Israel issues and other longstanding tensions. 'It was a positive sign,' said one influential Orthodox rabbi who requested anonymity so as not to upset the process. On Monday the powerful Jewish Community Relations Council of New York uploaded a 38-minute interview with Ocasio-Cortez and group CEO Michael Miller." New York Post's Jon Levine | | | | 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 | | — The subway got 2 million daily riders for the first time since the pandemic began. — The Transit Museum laid off a third of its staff. — Some out-of-work Broadway actors are singing telegrams. — Not everyone is on board with a move to remove powers over press credentials from the NYPD. — Republican mayoral hopeful Curtis Sliwa wants to nix property tax breaks for Madison Square Garden, private universities and hospitals and use the money to expand the NYPD. — More restaurants are avoiding apps with high fees by creating their own online ordering sites. — The Central Park Conservancy wants to take over the formerly Trump-run Wollman Rink. — The Shinnecock Indian Nation is set to break ground on a marijuana cultivation facility. — Ogdensburg's bonds are no longer considered "junk." — Mayoral candidate Ray McGuire proposed a plan for mobile clinics on buses in each borough. | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: CBS's Rita Braver … Peter Scher of JPMorgan Chase … Vice's Eric Ortega … CNN producer Greg Clary … Woody Johnson … Tommy Schanzer … (was Sunday): Citi's Ed Skyler … Donna Borak … MSNBC's Raelyn Johnson … NBC's Amanda Golden … Holly Geffs … Rae Robinson Trotman of SKDKnickerbocker … Netflix's Erika Masonhall … (was Saturday): Ann Marie Hauser of the Hudson Institute … CNN's Antoine Sanfuentes … Hanna Rosin … NBC's Gary Grumbach … MSNBC's Bridget Mulcahy MEDIAWATCH — "Inside the Fight for the Future of The Wall Street Journal" FOR YOUR RADAR — "State Department revokes security clearance for acting chief of staff to UN ambassador," by Daniel Lippman: "Jennifer Davis, the de facto chief of staff to Amb. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, is a career Foreign Service officer who has worked at the State Department for 18 years." | | A message from CVS Health: Throughout the pandemic, in New York and across the country, CVS Health has been delivering essential care. Thanks to the efforts of our employees, we opened 4,800 COVID-19 test sites and administered over 15 million tests at our stores and through partners in underserved communities. With millions staying home, we increased access to prescription delivery, virtual visits and mental health services. Now, we're providing vaccines in designated states. Every day, CVS Health works to bring quality, affordable health care closer to home—so it's never out of reach for anyone. That's health care, from the heart. Learn more. | | |
| | REAL ESTATE | | "APARTMENT HUNTERS can continue to be asked to shell out steep broker's fees, a judge ruled Friday, after state regulators sought to suspend them following sweeping updates to the state's rent laws in 2019. In a nine-page ruling, Albany County Judge Shannon Kushner said the passage of the Statewide Housing Security & Tenant Protection Act of 2019 does not allow the Department of State to prohibit brokers from collecting fees from renters. The act dramatically overhauled the state's prior rent laws that critics said contributed to inequality in the city. Included in one provision of the act was a passage that states brokers acting on a landlord's behalf can no longer charge certain fees 'before or at the beginning of the tenancy.'" Gothamist's David Cruz "STATE LAWMAKERS are proposing new rules that would require New York City co-op boards to state why they rejected a potential apartment buyer , seeking to end a longstanding practice that critics say facilitates housing discrimination. The State Senate bill, sponsored by housing committee chair Brian Kavanagh (D., Manhattan), says residential co-op and condominium boards would have to provide written explanations when they decide to turn down applicants who want to purchase at their building. Under current law, boards aren't required to offer any reason, and they rarely do so." Wall Street Journal's Will Parker "ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS are suing Mayor de Blasio and the city for allegedly withholding vital information on the $1 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency project. The lawsuit from the group East River Park Action accuses the city of 'concealing basic and fundamental information' in a report explaining its budgetary and policy decisions on the project. They're demanding the redacted sections of the Value Engineering Study for the project be made public." New York Post's Dean Balsamini
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