| | | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Téa Kvetenadze | The carrot: Because free Shake Shack fries apparently didn't change enough minds, the city is trying cold hard cash as a way to convince people to get vaccinated. They'll be paying New Yorkers $100 to get the Covid-19 shot, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday. Residents and city workers who get their first jab at a city-run vaccine site can get the payment on a prepaid debit card starting Friday. The stick: Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a new vaccine mandate for state workers, who will be required to get the shot or submit to weekly testing for the coronavirus. The state rules follow a similar decree by the city earlier this week. "I think we need dramatic action to get control of this situation," Cuomo said, amid a surge in cases driven by the more contagious Delta variant. A rule covering health care workers who deal with patients at state-run hospitals goes further, requiring vaccination outright with no option to get tested instead. While Cuomo's mandate doesn't apply to the Legislature, both the state Senate and the Assembly say they'll follow suit and require shots or testing for both lawmakers and staff. So will the state court system, its chief judge said. Some private employers are adopting a harder line: the Durst Organization says employees not vaccinated by Labor Day will be fired. Neither de Blasio nor Cuomo, however, have immediate plans to reimpose mask mandates after the CDC said vaccinated people should again wear them in higher-risk areas, which include the five boroughs. Both men say they're still reviewing the guidance. 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 with no public events scheduled. WHERE'S BILL? Appearing on Hot 97's Ebro in the morning and holding a media availability. QUOTE OF THE DAY — "Politically, Eric Adams is a rock on which I can build the church." — Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, after members of the New York congressional delegation met with the mayoral nominee ABOVE THE FOLD — Bipartisan infrastructure deal sails through first Senate vote, by POLITICO's Marianne LeVine and Burgess Everett: The Senate's bipartisan infrastructure deal finally moved forward on Wednesday night after weeks of grueling negotiations, handing a group of centrists and President Joe Biden a major win. — 'Historic' bipartisan plan includes $39B in new funding for transit, White House says, by POLITICO's Tanya Snyder: The $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure deal announced Wednesday includes $39 billion in new investments for transit, the White House says in a fact sheet — a $10 billion cut for transit since lawmakers' initial bipartisan proposal. The deal, struck in the early hours of Wednesday morning, includes what negotiators and the White House are characterizing as the largest federal investment in public transit ever... [T]he deal calls for "the largest federal investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak," the White House said, with $66 billion for rail, including $24 billion for modernization of the Northeast Corridor, $12 billion for intercity rail service such as high-speed rail, $5 billion for rail improvement and safety grants and $3 billion for grade crossing safety improvements. | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | |  | WHAT CITY HALL'S READING | | Adams, New York delegation present a united front after candidate's criticism of the left, by POLITICO's Nick Niedzwiadek: Democratic mayoral nominee Eric Adams downplayed his recent criticism of the party's left-wing and said it would not be a hindrance to working with members of New York City's congressional delegation during a meeting with the group Wednesday in Washington. "After election day, we're no longer campaigning — we're governing," Adams told reporters after the meeting. "I'm in the campaign season. I need to show the differences on philosophy between those whom I'm running against, and then January 1 when I'm governing it's all about making sure everyone's at the table." Adams, a former cop, won a close primary in June largely on a message of increased public safety. He faces Republican Curtis Sliwa in November, though is expected to win due to Democrats' overwhelming registration advantage in the city. Adams traveled to the headquarters of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in D.C. at the behest of Rep. Jerry Nadler for a morning meeting with New York Democrats, including Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. "NYC Board of Elections slammed by voters, advocates, poll workers at hearing," by New York Daily News' Denis Slattery: "The New York City Board of Elections was raked over the coals Wednesday as lawmakers heard from frustrated poll workers, voters and advocates at an hourslong hearing focused on election reforms. Attendees at the hearing, held at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, described woefully understaffed polling sites and issues with absentee ballots that surfaced during June's problem-plagued primary. Jan Combopiano of the Brooklyn Voters Alliance set the tone for the hearing as she described the difficulty of coordinating a woefully understaffed polling location where only nine of 26 workers showed up on Election Day. 'We had lines all day long,' she said. 'Because we only had enough people for each roll, nobody could take a break. I begged the Board of Elections for more poll workers.'" "Allegations Of Election Fraud And Discrimination Loom Over Staten Island Council Recount," by WNYC's Gwynne Hogan: "A manual recount in the Republican primary election for a City Council seat on Staten Island got underway Wednesday with the two rival candidates looking on, one denying charges of possible voter fraud and the other of anti-immigrant discrimination. Staff of the New York City Board of Elections began tallying 8,577 ballots cast in the 50th council district which spans a central swath of the island. A slim margin of just 42 votes separates the two candidates, with David Carr ahead after ranked-choice voting tabulations. Marko Kepi ended election night 647 votes behind but narrowed that margin after picking up three times more absentee-ballot votes than Carr." "As COVID Persists, Parents Of Medically-Vulnerable Students Worry About City's School Plan," by WNYC's Jessica Gould: "Some parents of students with underlying conditions that could put them at greater risk for COVID-19 are concerned about the city's plan to exclusively offer in-person learning this fall. Some said they're struggling to navigate the public school bureaucracy to find out what additional protections could be in place for their kids, while others are calling for a remote option. Maria Villalobos's daughter Zoey Nieves, 12, has Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of pediatric cancer in the soft tissue of the muscle. Villalobos said her daughter's doctor recommended Nieves continue to stay home through the fall." "Rise in Covid Cases Alarms New Yorkers: 'It Never Went Away,'" by The New York Times' Sarah Maslin Nir: "For a fleeting moment, New York was a city reveling in itself. Just a month ago officials declared it fully open for business; masks slipped to chins and restaurants packed in customers as vaccines rolled out. The virus seemed to be losing. Today, the coronavirus has crept back, in a new, more infectious form that has driven up cases and hospitalizations, primarily among those still refusing vaccination, sending a city just staggering back to life into a tailspin. For some New Yorkers, scarred from the thousands of deaths at the pandemic's painful peak, every new case, though few in comparison, comes with pit-of-the-stomach foreboding. For others, the spiking rates, and the fact that if infected, few vaccinated people fall gravely ill, portend a new reality of cohabiting with the virus — maybe indefinitely. Perhaps the only shared emotion is uncertainty." | | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "Cuomo's Counsel, a Key Figure in Sexual Harassment Inquiry, Will Resign," by The New York Times' Luis Ferré-Sadurní and William K. Rashbaum: "One of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's top lawyers, a central figure in the state attorney general's investigation of the governor, will resign from her post next week just as the sexual harassment inquiry may be nearing an end. Judith L. Mogul has served as special counsel to the governor since 2019 and was one of the senior Cuomo aides who handled a sexual harassment complaint lodged by Charlotte Bennett, a former executive assistant to Mr. Cuomo. Ms. Bennett, 26, accused Mr. Cuomo of making sexual overtures while they were alone in his State Capitol office in June 2020, when she said Mr. Cuomo, 63, asked her whether she was monogamous and if she had sex with older men. Soon after, Ms. Bennett said she disclosed the interaction with Mr. Cuomo to Jill DesRosiers, his chief of staff at the time, and was transferred to another job on the opposite side of the Capitol building. Later that month, Ms. Bennett said that she provided a lengthy statement about her allegations to Ms. DesRosiers and Ms. Mogul during a two-hour interview." "Former Cuomo staffer considers running against governor in Democratic primary next year," by CNBC's Brian Schwartz: " New York state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi is considering a potential primary challenge against fellow Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo next year, according to key Democratic Party sources in and around Albany. The former Cuomo staffer is considering the challenge as the governor faces accusations of sexual harassment and alleged mishandling of nursing home deaths. Biaggi is among the many critics of the workplace culture in the governor's offices. She has called on Cuomo to resign." " Cuomo wants N.Y. workers back in offices by Labor Day, tells businesses to deny unvaccinated patrons," by New York Daily News' Denis Slattery: "Gov. Cuomo is pushing private employers to bring workers back to the office by Labor Day — and calling on restaurants and others to deny unvaccinated patrons. Citing economic concerns, the governor implored businesses to encourage in-person work by the end of the summer during a virtual address Wednesday before members of the Association for a Better New York. 'Everyone has to be back in the office,' Cuomo said. 'I understand remote learning, I understand remote working, I understand trepidation, but the numbers are down, and we know how to do this safely. 'We need private sector companies to say to their employees 'I need you back in the office,'' he added." "Buffalo's India Walton is making history. It's not just because she's a socialist," by USA Today Network's Jon Campbell: "On a warm night in early July, a few dozen people sipped drinks and noshed on snack-bar fare as music played at an East Side roller-skating rink, lit mostly by pulsating arcade games and a handful of televisions behind the bar. They weren't there to strap on skates or feed quarters into the machines. They were showing support for one of the hottest names in progressive politics: India Walton, the 39-year-old political newcomer who was working the room. Walton stunned the Democratic establishment when she scored a June 22 primary win over Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, a four-term incumbent... She would be Buffalo's first woman mayor, and its youngest since the 19th century. But that wasn't why she quickly captured the national spotlight. It was her economic beliefs. India Walton is a democratic socialist. And she's very proud of it, too." "Immigrants demand Cuomo loosen restrictions on benefits for 'excluded' workers," by New York Daily News' Michael Gartland: "Immigrants and advocates demanded Wednesday that Gov. Cuomo loosen restrictions on undocumented workers seeking unemployment benefits from the state — months after Cuomo approved a budget setting aside $2.1 billion for the excluded workers. That allocation — which was viewed in April by progressives and immigrant advocates as a major win — ultimately came with a caveat in the form of requiring ample employment documentation from undocumented workers, many of whom work off the books." #UpstateAmerica: Yep, you can see the butter sculpture at the State Fair in-person this year. | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | | | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | "One-time Brooklyn candidate for state senate busted for climbing through Capitol window to join January insurrection," by New York Daily News' Larry McShane: "A Brooklyn plumber with a short-lived political career was busted Wednesday for climbing through a U.S. Capitol building window to join fellow rioters in the Jan. 6 insurrection — with photos showing the bearded suspect amidst the crazed crowd inside the federal landmark. Daniel Christmann, 38, was arrested at his home on federal charges after a pair of tipsters identified him to investigators, according to court documents. Chirstmann, who mounted an unsuccessful run for a state senate seat in 2020, was then spotted on surveillance video reviewed by an agent with the FBI's New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, according to an 18-page Brooklyn Federal Court complaint." | | AROUND NEW YORK | | — Interim New York City Transit president Sarah Feinberg is stepping down after almost a year and a half. — More than 16,000 student requests for a laptop or iPad for remote learning were left unanswered as of March, according to a city comptroller's audit. — Cuomo signed legislation to allow human trafficking victims to recover damages. — A Brooklyn woman left in a coma after a subway station robbery has died from her injuries. — A well-known sommelier was arrested and charged with setting outdoor dining sheds on fire. — CUNY plans to use $125 million in federal stimulus funds to eliminate debt for 50,000 students who suffered hardships during the pandemic. — A former LIRR conductor pleaded guilty to pocketing train tickets he collected from customers and giving them out to his friends. — George Rhoads, the artist responsible for Port Authority's famous kinetic ball instillation, has died. | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NBC's Peter Alexander … White House's Herbie Ziskend … Bloomberg's Aaron Kessler and Ellie Titus … Nate Rawlings is 4-0 … Kristin Fisher … Bloomberg's David Westin … Ginni Rometty … Laura McGann … Reuters' Joanna Plucinska … NYT's Peter Goodman … Danny Vinik … Garance Franke-Ruta … Lyndsay Polloway, U.S. Chamber of Commerce's VP of events … Reuters' Joanna Plucinska … Ari'el Stachel MAKING MOVES — Lee Ann Gliha has been hired as EVP and CFO of Nexstar Media Group. She most recently was a managing director at Jefferies. … Nada Maria Llewellyn is now chief diversity and inclusion officer at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP. She most recently was chief diversity officer and associate VP for human resources and deputy general counsel at St. John's University. SPOTTED at a book party Wednesday night for Gary Ginsberg's "First Friends: The Powerful, Unsung (And Unelected) People Who Shaped Our Presidents" ($25.49) hosted by Tom Nides and Virginia Mosely: Jeff and Mary Zients, Steve Elmendorf, Marcia Hale, Jennifer Maguire Isham and Chris Isham, Capricia Marshall, Jim Doyle and Patti Solis Doyle, Andrea Mitchell, Daniel Silva and Jamie Gangel, Virginia Boney, Steve Clemons, Max Neuberger, Adrienne Arsht, Ziad Ojakli and Devon Spurgeon, Tammy Haddad, Lee Satterfield and Patrick Steel, Wolf Blitzer, Peter Baker, Heather Podesta, Nihal Krishan, Mica Soellner, Charlie Rivkin, Carol Melton and Megan Beyer. | | REAL ESTATE | | "New York's $2.7 Billion Rent Relief Program Cuts First Checks, Amid Scrutiny," by City Limits' David Brand: "New York's stalled rent relief program has started sending checks to a handful of landlords whose tenants have missed rent payments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo pledging to pay every approved applicant by the end of August. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) has issued just $1.2 million to landlords on behalf of low-income tenants who owe back rent, nearly four months after New York lawmakers allocated $2.7 billion in state and federal funding to the initiative. The looming end of state eviction protections on Aug. 31 has frustrated landlords and tenants alike, and fueled intense scrutiny of the program, which has accepted more than 160,000 applications since opening June 1." "Bill Would Require NYC to Be Notified of Certain Vacant Property Sales," by Commercial Observer's Celia Young: "A New York City Council member is trying to give the city a heads-up on vacant building sales. Councilman Ben Kallos plans to introduce legislation on Thursday that would require real estate brokers, realtors and listing agents to notify the city 30 days before a vacant property — including empty lots and unoccupied buildings — of 20,000 square feet or more goes up for sale, Commercial Observer has learned. Kallos said the bill will bring the city in the loop on transactions, giving it the first right of refusal on vacant properties to allow it to build more schools, firehouses and other municipal buildings." | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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