News: POLITICO New York Playbook: No clear victor emerges from final mayoral brawl — City to move homeless residents out of hotels — Troubled Rochester mayor seeks re-election

Thursday, June 17, 2021

POLITICO New York Playbook: No clear victor emerges from final mayoral brawl — City to move homeless residents out of hotels — Troubled Rochester mayor seeks re-election

Jun 17, 2021

By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Téa Kvetenadze

Presented by Facebook

If you were waiting for last night's debate to determine an obvious favorite in the race to be the Democratic choice for New York City mayor, too bad.

Even with eight candidates on stage, no clear alliances were formed to knock down a chosen target or two in the final face-off before the June 22 primary. And while Eric Adams, who has risen to the top of recent polls, took some frontrunner heat over his policing stances, the candidates spent little to no time revisiting one another's individual campaign scandals and snafus. The harassment allegations against Scott Stringer, Adams' ever-changing address(es) and the uprising among Dianne Morales' staffers were largely passed over.

There certainly were jabs as candidates jostled to land a final zinger less than one week from the primary. One of the most heated exchanges was between Morales and Ray McGuire, who sparred over McGuire's assertion that Black and brown communities don't support defunding the police. Morales, a former nonprofit executive, said McGuire's characterizations were overly simplistic and not representative of the diverse views within those groups.

"How dare you presume to speak for Black and brown communities," Morales, who is Afro-Latina, said. "I just did," said the former Citigroup executive, who is Black. "I am a member of that community and you are certainly not speaking for me," she responded.

Stringer more than once chided his opponents as naive to the complexities of leadership, like when he blasted Andrew Yang for a proposal to address the city's mental health crisis by increasing the number of psych beds as "the greatest non-answer of any debate."

The two-hour verbal wrestling match tackled some substantive policy issues with lightning round questions that pulled candidates away from their stump speeches and toward more succinct answers. The back half of the two-hour event also contained more eclectic lines of inquiry, such as how long each candidate slept nightly (not enough!), what was the worst moment on the campaign trail, and what was something each of them would ban in the five boroughs. (For the curious, but not faint of heart, POLITICO reporters' live chat from the evening analyzes how some of those played out.)

There weren't big breakout moments for those in the back of the pack — Morales, Stringer, McGuire, and Shaun Donovan — and the policy focus gave Adams, Yang, Maya Wiley and Kathryn Garcia a chance to trumpet their chosen messages. Time will tell (and is running out fast), but it still looks like "anyone's race."

IT'S THURSDAY. 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 and New York with no public events scheduled.

WHERE'S BILL? Holding a media availability and speaking at the groundbreaking of the Urban League Headquarters and the renaming of PS 368 for William "Bill" Lynch.

DAYS TO THE PRIMARY: 5

PROGRAMMING NOTE : New York Playbook will not publish on Friday, June 18. We'll be back on our normal schedule on Monday, June 21. Please continue to follow POLITICO New York.

QUOTE OF THE DAY — "I think I would have been better served by letting some of that humanity and emotion and joy come through." — Mayor Bill de Blasio on the "Summer of Bill" and rediscovering the fun in his job.

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WHAT CITY HALL'S READING

"Why New York Progressives Are Pinning Their Hopes on the City Council," by The New York Times' Michael Gold: "With New York City voters headed to the polls to pick a new mayor, a contest with significant ramifications for the city's post-pandemic trajectory, the City Council elections have attracted far less attention. But the city's legislative body is facing heavy turnover, attracting scores of candidates in crowded races that could prove just as consequential in shaping New York's future. Left-wing activists and leaders in particular are making an energetic push around Council races, hoping to elect candidates who will advance a progressive platform regardless of the outcome in the mayoral election. The Council votes on the city budget after negotiation with the mayor and plays a key role in the city's land-use process, which affects development projects."

"Leading Manhattan DA Candidate Has Repeatedly Paid Virtually No Federal Income Taxes," by ProPublica's Robert Faturechi and Jeff Ernsthausen: "The leading candidate to take over the investigation relating to former President Donald Trump's taxes paid virtually no federal income taxes in four of six recent years. Tali Farhadian Weinstein, who is married to hedge fund manager Boaz Weinstein, is running for Manhattan district attorney in the Democratic primary, in which early voting has already begun. She and her husband reported income as high as $107 million in 2011, and she recently donated $8.2 million to her campaign — more than her seven Democratic rivals have raised in total. But in 2017, according to a trove of tax data obtained by ProPublica, she and her husband paid no federal income tax. In 2015 and 2013, they also paid no federal income tax. In 2014, she and her husband paid $6,584."

... Weinstein responded in an interview with The Associated Press, while her opponents hit her on the issue.

" De Blasio: NYC ready to relocate 8K homeless out of hotels, back into shelters," by New York Daily News' Shant Shahrigian: "The city government wants to move some 8,000 homeless people out of hotels and back into shelters, Mayor de Blasio said Wednesday. The city placed the individuals in hotels at the height of the pandemic, in order to avoid COVID spread at shelters. The move also caused heated debate in neighborhoods including the Upper West Side, where residents were divided over whether to welcome the homeless people into their midst. The state must authorize the city to move the individuals back into shelters, according to de Blasio. 'It is time to move homeless folks who were in hotels for a temporary period of time back to shelters where they can get the support they need,' he said at a press conference."

"De Blasio Wants To Fast-Track Supervised Injection Sites. So What's Holding Them Back?" by Gothamist's Caroline Lewis: "In mid-2018, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a pilot program to bring four supervised injection sites to New York City. The facilities would allow opioid users to inject drugs in a clean environment with staff nearby equipped with the overdose antidote naloxone. Governor Andrew Cuomo said later that year that he was working with the city to make the pilot a reality. Three years on, the sites — referred to by the city as Overdose Prevention Centers — have yet to materialize. Now, with his term almost up, Mayor de Blasio has made it clear he wants to fast-track the pilot … But one of the last hurdles standing in the mayor's way is President Joe Biden — and it's still unclear where he stands."

"Business And Civic Leaders Call City's Plan For Federal Aid 'Scattershot,'" by WNYC's Beth Fertig: "More than 20 leaders from different business, arts, and community groups have written a letter to the mayor and city council urging them to reconsider how they're using federal stimulus aid in the nearly $100 billion proposed budget, which takes effect in July. The unusual coalition of critics and allies of Mayor Bill de Blasio said, 'We write out of deep concern that current plans for these funds do not strategically support those sectors and communities that have suffered the greatest losses' from the COVID-19 pandemic. They warn that a failure to wisely allocate the dollars 'will delay recovery and create unnecessary fiscal stress in the future.' The signatories include leaders of building and hospitality trade groups, the Partnership for New York City, and the Citizens Budget Commission, which often critique City Hall's priorities, as well as the Broadway League, the New York Urban League, and different chambers of commerce."

"New York City Poised to Ease Fines on Small Businesses Hit by Covid-19," by Wall Street Journal's Rich Calder: "The New York City Council is set to approve legislation Thursday that provides relief for small businesses, including easing code enforcement and slashing the cost of thousands of fines that mom-and-pop shops and restaurateurs were issued in the past eight years. The two-bill package to aid a business sector hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic has more than enough council support to be approved at Thursday's meeting and eventually become law, city officials said. One bill, whose lead sponsor is Councilman Mark Gjonaj, a Bronx Democrat, will create a temporary amnesty program run by the city Department of Finance that offers a 75% discount on all unpaid code violations issued on or after March 7, 2020 — when Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, declared a state of emergency because of the pandemic."

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Kathryn Garcia is picking up an endorsement from Assemblymember Steven Cymbrowitz, chair of the body's housing committee. Cymbrowitz, who represents parts of South Brooklyn, called Garcia "unique among her competitors" — citing her housing platform, her work distributing meals during the height of the coronavirus pandemic and her time as interim chair of NYCHA. "Kathryn Garcia combines managerial experience with a hopeful yet deeply pragmatic vision for addressing the city's housing and homelessness crisis," Cymbrowitz said in a statement. "Kathryn is a natural problem-solver whose leadership skills and passion for public service will effectively move our city forward in this post-pandemic era." — Janaki Chadha

DON'T MISS THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO will feature a special edition of our Future Pulse newsletter at the 2021 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators who are turning lessons learned from the past year into a healthier, more resilient and more equitable future. Covid-19 threatened our health and well-being, while simultaneously leading to extraordinary coordination to improve pandemic preparedness, disease prevention, diversity in clinical trials, mental health resources, food access and more. SUBSCRIBE TODAY to receive exclusive coverage from June 22-24.

WHAT ALBANY'S READING

Trouble keeps coming for Lovely Warren. Rochester might reelect her anyway, by POLITICO's Anna Gronewold: It would be hard to imagine how Lovely Warren and the city she leads, Rochester, could have had a worse year. The city's beleaguered school district found itself in the red to the tune of $117 million. Demonstrators took to the streets to protest Warren's role in a monthslong coverup in the death of Daniel Prude, who died in police custody while he was restrained and under mental distress. In October, Warren was indicted on felony campaign finance charges and last month, police searched Warren's home after her estranged husband was arrested for drug and weapons possession. Through it all, of course, a pandemic of historic proportions brought the city's economy to a halt. Despite all that, the two-term Democrat has a strong shot at clinching a third term. She is running with the backing of the city and county Democratic party and faces just one challenger in a primary later this month — and a victory would ensure her reelection in the heavily Democratic city. Longtime upstate observers are quick to note that while a victory is far from certain, she does remain the favorite against City Councilmember Malik Evans.

That Warren has maintained much of her support despite that trifecta of scandals and with little evidence that crime, poverty and deep racial disparities have greatly improved during her tenure would seem counterintuitive. But many Rochesterians — especially in its Black communities — see Warren as a fighter who is persevering despite relentless roadblocks and odds stacked against her. They see themselves in her, said Adrian Hale, a native of Rochester who manages workforce development and education at the city's Chamber of Commerce... "Yeah, you watch the mayor deal with stuff, and you look at it in solidarity, you don't necessarily look at it with that same scrutiny," said Hale, who last fall received several nudges to mount his own challenge against Warren.

"Two weeks left of coronavirus state of emergency? Possibly." by Times Union's Justin Solomon: "New York Republicans are calling for an end to the broad powers granted to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo under the state of emergency following what amounted to a victory lap Tuesday heralding the rollback of most — but not all — remaining pandemic restrictions. The latest calls come less than three weeks before the state of emergency is set to expire on July 5, and with a handful of days until the school year ends June 25. GOP leadership have taken particular issue with the ongoing requirement that children inside schools wear a mask even as warm weather returns."

"Adult survivors advocates want meeting with Assembly after bill didn't get vote," by Spectrum News' Nick Reisman: "Advocates who back a bill meant to aid adult survivors of sexual assault and rape on Wednesday urged top lawmakers in the New York state Assembly to meet with them to discuss the proposal. The letter to top Democrats in the chamber comes days after lawmakers concluded the legislative session without the measure gaining a vote in the Assembly. 'Our goal for this meeting is to share narratives and case examples that can help you better understand the complex dynamics of sexual violence and the need for impactful legislation such as the Adult Survivors Act to better serve survivors and the community,' the letter states."

Oh, Albany!: Here are the photos we didn't know we wanted of Woody Harrelson in classic cars in Albany shooting an HBO series about Watergate.

#UpstateAmerica: Biden gifted Putin a bison crafted by Steuben Glass.

AROUND NEW YORK

— Eric Adams blamed his "good friend" for the confusion over the Brooklyn property they co-own and he failed to disclose.

— The number of murders statewide increased 48.7 percent last year compared with 2019 and auto thefts rose 53.6 percent, according to new annual statistics.

— State lawmakers are calling for stiffer penalties for electric scooter riders who flee crashes in the wake of the June 4 hit-and-run that killed actress Lisa Banes.

— The NYPD will crack down on fake paper license plates on cars, which have been connected to a number of shootings.

— The city will offer $2,500 cash prizes to ten New Yorkers who get Covid-19 vaccines.

— Terrence Floyd, the brother of the man killed last year by Minneapolis police, endorsed Eric Adams for mayor.

— Long Island's state parks are competing to hire lifeguards for parks, beaches and pools after the pandemic curtailed many training programs and created a shortage.

— The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx announced its new CEO and president.

— Hundreds of locals attended a public forum to address recent havoc in Washington Square Park.

— A 36-year-old man died trying to retrieve a volleyball from the East River off of Brooklyn.

— Citi Field and the U.S. Open tennis tournament will both be returning to full fan capacity.

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SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Matt Canter of Global Strategy Group … Tory Burch … Matt Miller of Vianovo … Alex Weprin … Jon Leibowitz of Davis Polk & Wardwell … The Daily Beast's Will Sommer ... CBS' Nicole Domenica Sganga … Business Roundtable's Jessica Boulanger … Diane Blagman of Greenberg Traurig … Desiree Barnes … Bloomberg's Kerri Chyka ... Laura Gordon … CNBC's Christina Wilkie … CNN's Allie Malloy … Paul Steinhauser

MEDIAWATCH — A former WNYC reporter is suing the radio station, saying he was fired after being falsely accused of plagiarism.

— The New Yorker's staff union reached a deal with Condé Nast to avert a potential strike.

MAKING MOVES — Richard Buery Jr. has been named the CEO of the anti-poverty group Robin Hood. He is currently the CEO of Achievement First and is also the former deputy mayor of New York City. Russell Reynolds conducted the search for the position, and Dina Powell McCormick chaired the CEO search committee.

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REAL ESTATE

"NYCHA leaders oppose Kathryn Garcia's mayoral bid over lead paint crisis," by New York Post's Julia Marsh and Nolan Hicks: "Tenant association presidents of six public housing complexes are asking voters not to rank Kathryn Garcia for mayor — arguing that she misled the public about the extent of the lead paint crisis when she served as City Hall's interim NYCHA chairwoman. 'Kathryn Garcia failed our neighbors, families and friends when she had a chance to protect us from the dangers of lead paint poisoning,' the tenant presidents wrote in the new letter. 'If you care about public housing and the health of our children, please do not vote for Kathryn Garcia.' The letter was signed by six tenant leaders and is set to be made public during the last Democratic mayoral debate on Wednesday night."

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