| | | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Téa Kvetenadze | Presented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America | The Board of Elections has managed to throw the mayor's race results into a state of confusion, admitting to discrepancies that threw off its first ever citywide ranked-choice voting count. Under a set of numbers released Tuesday, Eric Adams held onto his lead — but barely, ending up just 2 points ahead of Kathryn Garcia, who leapfrogged Maya Wiley to take second place. But the board later removed those results from its website, and it's anyone's guess how much they will change once the tabulation mishap is corrected. "We are aware there is a discrepancy in the unofficial RCV round by round elimination report. We are working with our RCV technical staff to identify where the discrepancy occurred," the Board said in a tweet late Tuesday. "We ask the public, elected officials and candidates to have patience." It then removed the erroneous results and replaced them with a message suggesting a new count will be available today. Even later Tuesday, BOE provided the beginnings of an explanation: It failed to remove about 135,000 test ballots from the system before conducting the tabulation. For whatever it's worth at this point, here's where things stood after the published count, itself more of a simulation since 124,000 absentee ballots have yet to be counted: Adams would come out on top with 51.1 percent of the vote, to 48.9 percent for Garcia, after 11 rounds of counting. Wiley, who was in second place after election night, would be eliminated in the final round. Garcia, who formed a late-hour alliance with Andrew Yang and gains votes when he is eliminated, would edge Wiley by just a fraction of a point, leaving room for their order to change again. Garcia would then pick up a lot more of Wiley's votes than Adams, putting her within striking distance of the Brooklyn borough president in the final round. Garcia trailed by just 15,908 votes in BOE's initial (flawed) count. As you can imagine, this all made for a bit of buzz. But Adams released a statement drawing attention to the fact that the total numbers of votes reported on election night and in the ranked-choice count were wildly different, and only then did the problem-plagued elections board seem to realize its mistake. The upshot: We're going to do this whole thing over again today, folks. IT'S WEDNESDAY. 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. WHERE'S BILL? In New York City with no public events scheduled. ABOUT LAST NIGHT at Cuomo's $10,000-per-plate fundraiser at Rockefeller Center: Per individuals in attendance, the room held more than 170 political, industry, business and labor leaders. Cuomo was introduced by 1199's George Gresham. Also in attendance were AFL-CIO's Mario Cilento, Building and Construction Trades Council's Gary LaBarbera, CWA's Dennis Trinor and Bob Masters, 32BJ's Kyle Bragg, RWDSU's Stuart Appelbaum, DC9's Joe Azzopardi, Queens Dems executive director Mike Reich and local party chairs Rodneyse Bichotte, Keith Wright, and Michael Cusick. | | A message from Planned Parenthood Federation of America: It's more urgent than ever to reclaim what's rightfully ours: access to quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all. Learn more about how you can take action today. | | |
|  | WHAT CITY HALL'S READING | | "Rankled Choice: Voting Experts Say BOE Rushed Into Releasing Preliminary Results," by The City's Rachel Holliday Smith, Yoav Gonen, Samantha Maldonado and Reuven Blau: "The city Board of Elections was warned to avoid releasing rank choice voting results piecemeal — a misstep that led to Tuesday's ballot disaster and could undermine the new system. The board decided to release round-by-round rankings without tallying absentee ballots after politicians — some who were running for different positions — pushed for the interim figures, she added. But the highly-anticipated release of that data Tuesday afternoon turned into a disaster after several people … discovered vote total discrepancies compared to initial figures published after the June 22 primary. The BOE late Tuesday night blamed the inaccurate count on the accidental inclusion of 135,000 test ballots in the tally." "BOE Woe: City Election Officials Have History of Mess-Ups," by The City's Greg B. Smith: "When the city Board of Elections first revealed a 'discrepancy' in the election results it had just made public earlier Tuesday evening, the agency asked all parties concerned — New Yorkers, elected officials, the candidates — 'to have patience.' It's a frustratingly familiar refrain. Notoriously inept and consistently opaque, the Board of Elections has long been a source of municipal embarrassment. A throwback to the days when political parties had total control of New York City's government, the board has again and again dropped the ball at exactly the wrong time. Under state law, the two major parties each get to appoint five people to the 10-member board, who in turn hire what they deem to be a 'bipartisan' staff — half Democrat, half Republican. In the last decade, the BOE has been cited for everything from rampant nepotism to allowing ineligible voters to cast ballots to mailing out absentee ballots with the wrong names on return envelopes." "How Andrew Yang Went from Front-Runner to Fourth Place," by The New York Times' Dana Rubinstein: "For months, Andrew Yang seemed like he was exactly what New York City was looking for in a mayor. He was relentlessly positive at a time when the city, still locked down during the pandemic, was somber. While other candidates were stuck in a loop of online mayoral forums, he seized attention by holding in-person events, capitalizing on his star power as a 2020 presidential candidate. He leapt to the top of polls, drawing the affection of wealthy donors and envy from the race's more established candidates. But as the race's sudden front-runner, Mr. Yang began to draw more scrutiny from the news media and his rivals, and bit by bit, he lost ground... His collapse was a result of an accumulation of factors: self-inflicted wounds, a perception that he was out of his depth, and the city's changing environment." "FEMA refusing to reimburse NYC hospitals for $860M in COVID costs due to 'inexplicable' payout system: officials," by New York Daily News' Chris Sommerfeldt: "The federal government has for months refused to reimburse New York City's public hospital system for more than $860 million in coronavirus-related emergency expenses due to a Kafkaesque payout formula that is incompatible with the 'real world,' according to a top-ranking local public health official. NYC Health + Hospitals, the entity overseeing the city's 11 public hospitals, first submitted a reimbursement request with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in October 2020 for $864 million in costs associated with hiring extra clinical staff during the peak of the pandemic last year, Dr. Mitchell Katz, who heads H+H, wrote in a previously unreported letter obtained by the Daily News." "Following Pandemic Battle, Brooklyn Hospital Moves Forward With Plan To Cut 200 Beds," by Gothamist's Caroline Lewis: "Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, a 303-bed hospital serving mostly low-income patients in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, has stopped admitting patients as it pushes ahead with a plan to shut down most inpatient care by the end of the month. Now five years in the making, the move is a condition of a state-backed merger between Kingsbrook, Interfaith and Brookdale University medical centers, which are now collectively known as One Brooklyn Health. The partial closure was supposed to occur last July but was delayed due to the high demand for hospital beds after the city began its battle against COVID-19." "Without More Tourists, City Hotels Can't Bring Back All Their Furloughed Staffers," by WNYC's Beth Fertig: "New York hotels rely heavily on international and business travel — both of which have yet to rebound. And experts say leisure travelers initially went to states like Florida that had fewer restrictions. The domestic travel market is now finally coming back to New York and the city is spending $30 million on a new marketing campaign. But it's going to be a while before tourism is back to pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, more than 66 million visitors generated $70 billion in economic activity. So while hotels are reopening, they still don't have enough guests to justify bringing back all their staffers. The Hotel Association of New York City said occupancy was about 66% percent in late June, down from almost 90% pre-pandemic." | | | | JOIN FRIDAY FOR A PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW WITH ANITA DUNN: Anita Dunn, a senior White House adviser to President Biden and one of the most influential women in Washington, will join Playbook co-author Ryan Lizza to discuss the administration's legislative priorities, including getting the massive infrastructure plan through Congress, the latest on efforts to get 70% of U.S. adults vaccinated against Covid, and preparations for the White House's first big public event on Independence Day. Don't miss this Playbook Live event, REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "An Opioid Case Like No Other: N.Y. vs. the Supply Chain," by Sarah Maslin Nir: "New York's sprawling opioid trial — the first in the country that targets the entire opioid supply chain — began with opening arguments in Central Islip on Long Island on Tuesday in a case that will offer rare illumination of the machinery that helped power a drug scourge. There was not a courtroom large enough to fit the seven defendants, including drugmakers who manufacture opioids, distributors that supply the pills, their subsidiaries and their armies of lawyers. The judge is hearing the case in an auditorium at a local law school. The trial, in which Nassau and Suffolk Counties have joined the New York State attorney general, marks the first opioid case where a jury rather than a judge will decide the outcome. Initially, the sweeping case also targeted several pharmacy chains that dispensed opioids, but in the days leading up to the trial, all were excised from the case following a flurry of settlements with New York, the details of which have not yet been finalized." "New York Lawsuit Aims to Overturn Renewable Energy Siting Rules,"by Bloomberg's Keshia Clukey: "A coalition of local governments and community activists are suing New York state to overturn renewable energy project siting rules that they say could hurt the environment. The coalition filed the lawsuit Tuesday in state Supreme Court, alleging the regulations violate the State Environmental Quality Review Act. The coalition includes several towns in Upstate New York, the American Bird Conservancy, several local Audubon Society groups, and the Rochester Birding Association. The state's 'quick fix to the climate crisis risks harming species diversity and ultimately humans,' Amy Kahn, conservation chair for the Rochester Birding Association, said in a statement." " Assembly panel to discuss issuing subpoenas in Cuomo impeachment probe," by New York Post's Bernadette Hogan and Carl Campanile: "Lawmakers in the state Assembly anticipate discussions about possibly issuing subpoenas to witnesses involved in the wide-ranging impeachment investigation into Gov. Andrew Cuomo during a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, sources told The Post. Assembly Judiciary Committee members will convene in Albany Wednesday morning — the fourth meeting pertaining to the investigation since March. It will also be the first in-person discussion as previous meetings have been conducted virtually due to the pandemic. 'That's the reason for the meeting, we'll be discussing making an application for subpoenas,' one pol told The Post on the condition of anonymity." "'The source is poverty.' Community reacts to deadly Walmart shooting," by Democrat and Chronicle's Robert Bell: "As Rochester reacts to the city's latest act of deadly gun violence, a mix of disgust and fear saturates the community. 'Everybody is tired of it, but it gets to the point where you're just absolutely disgusted at the mindset that we're dealing with," community activist David Williams said … According to David Williams, many people believe the root of the violence is a mix of drug factions warring over territory and retaliatory murders over unresolved street conflicts. Either way, Williams says the source is poverty. 'We've got so much poverty here in Rochester,' Williams said. 'Parents don't have time to take care of their kids working two, three, four jobs - scrambling for funds. When they don't raise their kids, the streets will.'" #UpstateAmerica: Dream job alert: Stewart's seasonal flavors ice cream taste tester. If that doesn't work out, you can now apply at Six Flags' Great Escape even if you have "piercings, tattoos and unique hairstyles." | | | |   | | |
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — City Council Member Farah Louis was injured in a car crash. — A 71-year-old man was fatally hit by a USPS truck while biking on Central Park West. — A federal judge in Manhattan threw out an indictment against a Bronx shooting suspect because of a lack of racial diversity in the White Plains grand jury pool. — The New York Comedy Festival will be back this fall. — The city announced it will pay for homeless and disabled students to take taxis home from summer school programming. — Broadway workers are celebrating the return of showbiz to the Great White Way. — Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan will be the next president of the District Attorneys Association of New York. — State lawmakers are crossing their fingers that a second try on prosecutorial oversight will stand up against legal challenges. — Thank you, Newsday, for covering local: 'Why were two parrots on the loose on LI? They didn't say' — HEYO: Powerball drawings are increasing to three times a week instead of two, the state Gaming Commission decided. — An Erie County legislator "resigned" to collect her pension but will be reappointed to the same job in a matter of days. — Four people were arrested in connection with a fire that burned down an adult care home in Rockland County and killed two people. | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO WEST WING PLAYBOOK: Add West Wing Playbook to keep up with the power players, latest policy developments and intriguing whispers percolating inside the West Wing and across the highest levels of the Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: The Atlantic's David Frum … Kyle Plotkin ... Kara Adame of MetLife … former IRS Commissioner John Koskinen … Alexandra Acker Lyons … Lanbo Zhang … Bob McBarton … Alina Selyukh MEDIAWATCH — "Fox News fined $1 million for sex harassment and retaliation," by The Associated Press' David Bauder: "The New York City Commission on Human Rights has fined Fox News $1 million, the largest penalty in its history, for violations of laws protecting against sexual harassment and job retaliation. As part of a settlement agreement announced Tuesday, Fox also agreed to mandate anti-harassment training for its New York-based staff and contributors and to temporarily drop a policy requiring people who allege misconduct to enter into binding arbitration." MAKING MOVES — Raychel Renna will be political director for House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik's operation out of D.C. She is currently press secretary for Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio). | | A message from Planned Parenthood Federation of America: After years of harmful policies blocking our sexual and reproductive rights, now we have the opportunity to reclaim what's Rightfully Ours: access to quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all. Learn more about how you can take action today. | | | | | REAL ESTATE | | "Cuomo slammed for taking Rockefeller Park space for concrete COVID memorial," by New York Post's Carl Campanile and Bernadette Hogan: "Residents of Battery Park City are protesting a plan by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to take green space from a local park to make way for a concrete coronavirus memorial to honor essential workers. The growing number of opponents said they were blindsided and steamrolled by Cuomo, who made the announcement last week to erect the 'Circle of Heroes' memorial for COVID workers in Rockefeller Park — without input from the Battery Park City community. 'This memorial requires bulldozing a local community park with natural grass and trees where many friends and family members gathered safely outdoors during the pandemic, and where many children run and play. The memorial will replace natural grass with concrete and an 'eternal flame,'' said Battery Park City resident Adrian Mak." "New NY rent fund sees website glitches, but tenants hopeful," by The Associated Press' Marina Villeneuve: "Tenants and their advocates hope New York's revamped rent relief program will finally help renters and landlords who have struggled to get assistance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Paperwork requirements made it tough for tenants and landlords to get relief funds in a previous round of pandemic assistance. Last year, New York dedicated $100 million from the federal CARES Act to rental relief and received 94,000 applications. But it wound up rejecting most applicants. It has dispersed $47 million to date to 18,000 applicants, far fewer than officials had hoped to reach."
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