News: POLITICO New York Playbook: GOP’s Sliwa looks to beat the odds in mayor’s race — Brown mounts write-in campaign in Buffalo

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

POLITICO New York Playbook: GOP’s Sliwa looks to beat the odds in mayor’s race — Brown mounts write-in campaign in Buffalo — Zeldin named presumed nominee vs. Cuomo

Jun 29, 2021

By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Téa Kvetenadze

Presented by Planned Parenthood Federation of America

It's not yet clear who will be the Democratic nominee for mayor, but we do know the Republican offering. Curtis Sliwa won the GOP nomination convincingly, and now he's got more than four months to make things interesting for Eric Adams or another Democrat.

The red-beret wearing Guardian Angels founder has a few things working against him. There's Democrats' overwhelming voter registration advantage in the city, and there are the local GOP's particular struggles since the age of Donald Trump. And Sliwa, with law and order as his longtime calling card, could have an even tougher job if he's up against Adams, a former cop running on an anti-crime message. But Sliwa told Erin that he's up to the task.

"I'm the only one who has gone into neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs where the only Republican that the residents have ever seen is Abraham Lincoln on a five-dollar bill," Sliwa said.

Sliwa plans to hammer Adams for not being pro-cop enough, despite the Democrat's long career in the NYPD, and push a proposal to hire thousands more officers. And then there's the other face of his campaign: his commitment to animal welfare, as evidenced by the 15 rescue cats who live with Sliwa and his wife in an Upper West Side studio apartment. The GOP nominee says he'll introduce New Yorkers to his softer side as he pushes for no-kill animal shelters.

"They know that Curtis is going to crack down on crime. They know that," said Sliwa, who like Adams has a penchant for speaking in the third person. "They have no idea the other side — the compassion."

Will it work? Never say never, but as political science professor Richard Flanagan says of the GOP in New York City: "It would be hard to overestimate the magnitude of their underdog-edness."

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 New York City with no public events scheduled.

WHERE'S BILL? Holding a media availability.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I want to be very clear that I did not seek — nor will I accept — support in any form, should I decide to pursue a write-in campaign, from Carl Paladino." — Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, who is launching a write-in campaign after his primary loss to India Walton but doesn't want any connection to the region's renowned Trump loyalist

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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

"Dry Run for Ranked-Choice Count May Hint at How N.Y.C. Mayor's Race Ends," by The New York Times' Anne Barnard, Katie Glueck and Jeffery C. Mays: "New Yorkers will get one step closer on Tuesday to learning who their next mayor is likely to be. Because an initial count of ballots showed that none of the Democratic candidates got more than 50 percent of the first-choice votes cast by those who voted in person last Tuesday or during the early voting period, the city's new ranked-choice system has kicked in. Voters could rank up to five candidates in the mayor's race, and the Democratic nominee, who is almost certain to be next mayor, will now be decided through a process of elimination that begins on Tuesday."

"Lawmakers Sue N.Y.P.D., Saying They Were Beaten With Bicycles at Protest," by The New York Times' Andy Newman: "Two New York lawmakers who said they were surrounded, beaten with bicycles and pepper-sprayed by the police during a Black Lives Matter protest in Brooklyn last year filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit against the city on Monday, adding to the blizzard of litigation over the Police Department's conduct during the protests. The suit from State Senator Zellnor Myrie and Assemblywoman Diana Richardson accuses the police of violating their free-speech rights, assaulting them and illegally detaining Mr. Myrie. It names Mayor Bill de Blasio, Police Commissioner Dermot F. Shea and six individual officers as defendants."

— Sergeants union president Ed Mullins is suing the NYPD over its efforts to discipline him for his rhetoric. Yeah, the same guy who said cops were "declaring war" on de Blasio, tweeted the arrest record of the mayor daughter, and called a public official a "whore."

" City Starts Kicking Thousands of Homeless People From Hotels Back to Shelters," by The City's Rachel Holliday Smith: "For thousands of homeless New Yorkers, a life-changing silver lining of the pandemic is coming rapidly to a close: They will no longer live in city hotels. In the span of about six weeks, the Department of Homeless Services will empty more than 60 commercial hotels used during the COVID-19 crisis as emergency housing for about 9,000 people. That means more than a thousand people each week are being sent back to dorm-style shelters, also known as 'congregate shelters,' where residents sleep multiple people in a room. Meanwhile, it's unclear how many of the city's homeless people have been vaccinated. 'You get comfortable in one place, [then] you're somewhere else. You've got to re-adapt,' said Mike Roberts, who was forced on Monday to move from an Upper West Side hotel to Kenton Hall, a men's shelter on the Bowery. "It's very, very depressing."

"De Blasio vows to 'flood the zone' in Times Square in wake of shooting," by New York Post's Julia Marsh and Sam Raskin: "Mayor de Blasio on Monday vowed police would 'flood the zone' in Times Square in wake of the shooting that injured a tourist — as the Big Apple seeks to rebound from the COVID-19 lockdown. Hizzoner said dozens of additional cops were sent to the tourist hotspot, which already has a significant police presence, immediately after the shooting late Sunday afternoon, the second act of gun violence in as many months. 'Bottom line is, we are going to flood the zone in Times Square with additional officers,' de Blasio said during his daily virtual press briefing. 'We have more and more tourists coming back, they have to be safe and feel safe.'"

"$100B city budget is built on uncertainty, fiscal hawks warn," by Crain's Brian Pascus: "As Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council close in on a $100 billion budget for next year's budget, fiscal experts warn the spending is built on a fragile foundation of past growth and an influx of federal spending that may not last into the future. 'Federal money is not recurring and is being used to fund programs permanently,' said Ana Champney, director of city studies at the Citizens Budget Commission. 'And then there's uncertainty on what the rate of property tax revenue will be.'"

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WHAT ALBANY'S READING

Zeldin is GOP's 'presumed nominee' against Cuomo after straw poll of county leaders, by POLITICO's Anna Gronewold: New York's Republicans have informally anointed U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, a four-term member of Congress from Long Island's Suffolk County, as their pick to run for governor next year, when Andrew Cuomo may be running for a fourth term. Zeldin earned 85 percent of the weighted vote in a straw poll taken during a meeting of county leaders in a suburb of Albany. State party Chair Nick Langworthy said Zeldin will now be considered the "presumed nominee," allowing him roughly 17 months to drum up support and donors for the 2022 general election. But the size of Zeldin's support did not deter other GOP hopefuls, including Andrew Giuliani, suggesting that Zeldin may face a primary next June. Zeldin said he is confident he has built operation strong enough to withstand a challenge from other Republicans in a primary and from Democrats in the general election.

"The rule of fire supremacy in the military, the way I'm trained, is that for every one bullet fired at you, fire three back," said Zeldin, a 41-year-old veteran of Iraq and a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve. "The political [equivalent] for me is that you fire 50,000 back," he added. "I put together a coalition of tens of thousands of people for a race like this to absolutely ensure that we are crushing it on November 8, 2022."

"Board of Elections pleads for assistance after Cuomo admin delays relocation plan ," by New York Post's Bernadette Hogan and Sam Raskin: "Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration has imposed an 'unreasonable' delay on an office relocation plan for the state Board of Elections that's left the agency pleading with Albany's legislative leaders for help, The Post has learned. 'We have worked with the Division of Budget and Office of General Services but we feel to no avail. Our numerous requests for assistance with senior staff at the Executive Chamber have been for naught,' wrote Board of Elections executive directors Todd Valentine and Robert Brehm in a June 22 letter obtained by The Post. The letter went to the top Democratic legislative leaders, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and their GOP counterparts, Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt and Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay."

"New York Lawmakers Seek Special Session to Extend Drinks-to-Go Policy," by Wall Street Journal's Jimmy Vielkind: "Restaurateurs said they are now looking to members of the state Assembly and Senate for relief. Legislators considered a bill that would have continued a limited form of alcohol-to-go for another year, but the measure stalled amid opposition from liquor store owners. Dominick Purnomo, a co-owner of the Albany restaurants Yono's and dp, An American Brasserie, said to-go drinks would allow him to keep an extra bartender working. He said he hoped the abrupt end of the policy would be a catalyst for action. 'The legislators are voted in to represent the people. Give the people what they want, which is to continue alcohol-to-go, as it is,' Mr. Purnomo said."

"Brown launches write-in campaign for mayor as others eye the race," by Buffalo News' Robert J. McCarthy: "Byron W. Brown on Monday launched an unprecedented write-in campaign to reclaim the mayor's office he apparently lost in the June 22 Democratic primary as an increasingly chaotic situation surrounds the victory of newcomer India B. Walton. Brown said 'the thousands, the thousands, that we have heard from ... have said we want you to continue running for mayor as a write-in candidate.' Brown said residents have told him that 'we want you to run for mayor to save the city. You cannot abandon the city at this critical time.' Walton quickly responded to the mayor's announcement. 'Byron Brown's decision to run a write-in campaign supported by Carl Paladino and the PBA is deeply disappointing,' she said in a statement. 'Brown can attempt to distance himself from Paladino all he wants, but it is clear who is really behind this campaign.'"

"State Sen. Todd Kaminsky announces run for Nassau County district attorney," by Newsday's Scott Eidler: "State Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Beach) pitched himself as a corruption fighter and tough enforcer of criminal laws as he launched his bid Monday for Nassau County district attorney in a November special election. The State Senate confirmed former Nassau District Attorney Madeline Singas to the State Court of Appeals on June 8, setting off a scramble to replace her midway through her second term. Nassau's Democratic Committee chose Kaminsky on Friday to run for the open seat. Kaminsky, a former federal prosecutor, has been dean of Long Island's Democratic senate delegation since 2018, when Democrats won a majority in the chamber."

#UpstateAmerica: Former Gov. George Pataki has been at his Champlain Valley farm in the Adirondack Park throughout the pandemic: "We have beef cows. We have horses. We have chickens. And the main thing we do is hay. Hay for the cows, and we sell hay for the horses, too, and right now we just started to cut the hay for the first time this year."

FROM THE DELEGATION

Buttigieg, Schumer voice commitment to completing long-delayed Gateway Program, by POLITICO's Danielle Muoio: Fresh off a tour of the dilapidated rail tunnels underneath the Hudson River, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said Monday "now it is time" to advance a $11.6 billion Gateway Program to repair and upgrade the only rail connection between New York and New Jersey. Buttigieg's remarks highlight a renewed commitment to a project first conceived in 2015, but that faced severe delays under former President Donald Trump — who refused to advance the massive infrastructure effort without funding for a border wall with Mexico. Transit experts have warned the tunnels are in danger of collapsing because of the damage they incurred during Superstorm Sandy. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a major proponent of the project, has been pushing Buttigieg to release the tunnel from its "hostage" situation ever since — and the two appeared together on Monday to announce progress on that front.

Republicans eye Yonkers' Joe Pinion as a Schumer challenger, by POLITICO's Bill Mahoney: Yonkers resident Joe Pinion is the first Republican to emerge as a potential challenger to Sen. Chuck Schumer in 2022. Pinion appeared at a gathering of New York's Republican leaders in suburban Albany on Monday, as party officials attempt to organize around a 2022 ticket. He was the only one who appeared as a potential Senate candidate. He stressed that he has not yet entered the race but has been "listening, getting a lot of phone calls, encouragement, people thinking that we should look at this race against Chuck Schumer, just because I think the appetite for change in New York was there." Pinion has a Saturday afternoon show on Newsmax. He ran for an empty Assembly seat in 2018 and received 35 percent of the vote.

TRUMP'S NEW YORK

Trump lawyer: Manhattan DA won't charge former president, by POLITICO's Betsy Woodruff Swan: Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance has indicated he does not currently plan to charge the Trump Organization with crimes related to allegations of "hush money" payments and real estate value manipulations, according to a personal lawyer for Donald Trump. Ronald Fischetti, a New York attorney who represents the former president, said on Monday that in a meeting last week, he asked Vance's team for details on charges they were considering. According to Fischetti, members of Vance's team said they were considering bringing charges against the Trump Organization and its individual employees related to alleged failures to pay taxes on corporate benefits and perks. It has been widely reported that those perks included cars and apartments and appear to only involve a small number of executives. "We asked, 'Is there anything else?'" Fischetti told POLITICO. "They said, 'No.'"

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AROUND NEW YORK

— An exit poll found that more than 80 percent of primary voters ranked at least two candidates for mayor, and 42 percent used all five slots on their ballot.

— Eight people were arrested in weekend clashes between cops and revelers at Washington Square Park.

— Christopher Marte won the District 1 City Council seat of term-limited Margaret Chin.

— Saratoga Springs officials are blaming a recent uptick in violence on the social justice movement and suspects coming to the city from Albany.

— The number of Child Victims Act cases filed in New York has jumped to more than 6,000 as the deadline to file civil accusations draws near.

— Common Council candidate and political newcomer Rasheada Caldwell won more votes than anyone else in Syracuse's Democratic primary.

— The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown is getting a new president.

— A car crashed outside an auto collision shop in East Flatbush.

— Jimmy Fallon was hanging out in Fairport again.

— Piles of personal protective equipment were left to rot outside a state-run nursing home for veterans in Queens.

— More than 200,000 students have signed up for expanded summer school.

SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Laura Rozen … Josh Meyer … CNN's Evan Pérez (h/ts Tim Burger) … BerlinRosen's Cathy Rought … The Hill's Hanna Trudo … H&R Block's Kaya Singleton … Gabriella Demczuk … Andy Duberstein of Sard Verbinnen … Samantha Tartas … Caroline Eisen

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

"Penthouse at Troubled Supertall Tower Seeks $169 Million," by The New York Times' Stefanos Chen: "The 96th-floor penthouse at 432 Park Avenue, the nearly 1,400-foot supertall tower on Manhattan's Billionaires Row, where residents complained of a number of mechanical issues earlier this year, is listing for $169 million, one of the most ambitious listings in the country since the start of the pandemic. The price is almost double what the owner, Fawaz Alhokair, a Saudi retail magnate, paid for the 8,225-square-foot space in 2016, when he closed for about $88 million. The annual tax bill is $177,730, according to Department of Finance records."

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