News : POLITICO New York Playbook: Board yanks Cuomo’s book deal approval

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

POLITICO New York Playbook: Board yanks Cuomo’s book deal approval

Nov 17, 2021

By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Deanna Garcia

Here's another one for the annals of "Andrew Cuomo won't go away": The state's ethics watchdog voted to revoke the authorization it gave the former governor to publish his 2020 memoir, a move that could potentially cost the unemployed politician a cool $5.1 million.

Cuomo, long before he resigned in a sexual harassment scandal, got the OK from the Joint Commission on Public Ethics to write the book, "American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic." But on one condition: He promised not to use state resources or personnel on the lucrative endeavor. News has since emerged that state employees did help with the book, including at least two occasions where junior staff were asked to print pages from the draft at the Capitol and then deliver them to the Executive Mansion.

So JCOPE voted 12-1 on Tuesday to yank the approval, saying Cuomo violated the agreement . Cuomo could apply for reapproval, but if that doesn't work, the board could attempt to force the ex-governor to surrender the millions of dollars he was paid for the tome. (The book, by the way, is no longer being promoted by its publisher, which halted its support in response to allegations that the Cuomo administration covered up nursing home deaths.)

Cuomo is pretty mad about this, as he has been about a lot of things lately. His lawyer vows to vigorously contest in court any attempt to enforce the decision. "These JCOPE members are acting outside the scope of their authority and are carrying the water of the politicians who appointed them," Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said, going on to bash Cuomo's lieutenant-governor-turned-successor Kathy Hochul. "It is the height of hypocrisy for Hochul and the legislature's appointees to take this position, given that these elected officials routinely use their own staff for political and personal assistance on their own time." Oh, and he's got zingers: "They truly are a J-JOKE."

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 KATHY? Speaking at an 1199 rally and at Sen. Jabari Brisport's child care listening tour.

WHERE'S BILL? Holding a media availability.

WHERE'S ERIC? Speaking at a Founders Forum tech conference.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Leave it to a below average man to shift blame instead of having the courage to say, 'I f--ked up.' In this case, Jay's ineptitude to see what the state party is capable of accomplishing makes the case that his expiration date came and went long ago." — Democratic state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, who took umbrage to state party chair Jay Jacobs asserting that some of the party's recent failures fall on lack of effort from some elected officials

ANOTHER ONE: "I am the mayor. This is the city of nightlife. I must test the product. I have to be out … We used to be the coolest place on the globe. We're so damn boring now, man." — Mayor-elect Eric Adams on last night's Late Show with Stephen Colbert .

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WHAT CITY HALL'S READING

NYC to require vaccines for New Year's Eve in Times Square, by POLITICO's Erin Durkin: New York City will require full vaccination for New Year's Eve revelers as it brings back its marquee Times Square ball drop celebration. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the vaccine mandate Tuesday, saying hundreds of thousands of people will again be welcomed to pack Times Square for a "full strength" celebration. The festivities were limited last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. "New York City's back. We want to show the world we're back," de Blasio told reporters. People heading to Times Square, including children ages 5 and up, will have to show proof of full vaccination at security checkpoints.

— The city will offer second-dose vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 in public schools beginning Nov. 30.

"Brannan, Kagan Victorious in Southern Brooklyn Council Races, Opponents Concede," by Brooklyn Paper's Jessica Parks: "Southern Brooklyn Democrats are rejoicing Tuesday as two Republican Council candidates — Brian Fox and Mark Szuszkiewicz — conceded within an hour of each other just two days into absentee ballot counting. After trailing his Republican opponent by more than 200 votes on election night, Councilmember Justin Brannan will continue to represent City Council's 43rd District, which encompasses Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, and parts of Bensonhurst after mail-in ballots are finalized by the city's Board of Elections. Fox conceded in an emailed statement sent to press just before 4 pm on Nov. 16."

— Republican Vickie Paladino also declared victory in a Queens race she is leading, but Democratic opponent Tony Avella has not conceded.

" Port Authority brings in MTA, transit experts to reexamine subway extension to LaGuardia Airport," by New York Daily News' Clayton Guse: "A crack team of transit experts will reexamine ways to connect LaGuardia Airport to the rest of the city — including extending the subway to the airport, Port Authority officials announced Tuesday. The new panel follows Gov. Hochul's decision last month to put the brakes on former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan to build an AirTrain to LaGuardia from Willets Point, Queens. The route was widely criticized as inefficient and would have required mass transit riders to pay two fares to get to the airport."

" How Small-Dollar Public Financing Helped NYC Elect Its Most Diverse City Council Ever," by City Limits' Ese Olumhense: "Almost all—97 percent—of the record-breaking 39 women and Black, Latino, and Asian New Yorkers elected to the New York City Council earlier this month raised money through the city's public financing program, which enables participating candidates to have their small-dollar local donations matched 8-to-1 with public money, according to a new analysis of primary election data from the Brennan Center. New York's 'robust' public matching funds program is partially responsible for the dramatic shift in representation in the incoming Council, the report's authors said."

WHAT ALBANY'S READING

"Demands grow for Byron Brown's ouster from Democratic National Committee," by Buffalo News' Robert J. McCarthy: "Demands that Mayor Byron W. Brown resign from the Democratic National Committee are growing, especially from a left-leaning group that this week heard India B. Walton vow to intensify her efforts to strengthen the party's progressive base in Buffalo. In her most extensive comments to date following her apparent mayoral loss to Brown on Nov. 2, Walton late Monday told a virtual meeting of the Our Revolution organization linked to Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont that she will continue working to strengthen the local party's progressive base. 'Know that our campaign is very excited and our volunteers are ready to be mobilized and act and do whatever is required to bring truly progressive politics to Buffalo and Western New York,' she said to a national online gathering of Our Revolution members."

MEANWHILE —> "The developments occurred as New York Democratic Chairman Jay S. Jacobs reiterated his commitment to Brown, on the same day he easily beat back a 'no confidence' vote launched by progressives during a Tuesday meeting of the party's state committee. 'I said to the committee, 'This is not about me or my leadership,' ' Jacobs said of his 81-14% backing of the committee. 'This is more about the direction of the party.' 'Democrats have to move to the center if they are to win elections," he added. "And I favor winning elections over ideological purity."

" Gov. Hochul says if you feel you need a COVID-19 booster shot, you should get one," by WXXI's Karen DeWitt: "For those who have already received their vaccine, Hochul is expanding eligibility for booster shots. She says any adult who lives in a high transmission area, including Western New York, and feels they need the shot, are now allowed to receive one. The governor's advice goes further than the current federal Centers for Disease Control recommendation that booster shots be limited to those over 65 or who have serious underlying health conditions. 'There is not a clear metric on this that has been given to us by the CDC,' Hochul said. 'But I am telling you, as governor, that anything over a 4 or 5% transmission rate is unacceptably high and is considered a risk area.'"

Public advocate jumps into 2022 race for New York governor, by POLITICO's Anna Gronewold: New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has officially declared a run for governor in 2022, joining Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Tish James in a Democratic primary next summer. Williams, in a two minute and 14 second video ad released late Monday evening, drew on his diagnosis with Tourette syndrome, saying that it has never defined him. He also spotlighted his years working as an activist and organizer. The emotional ad showed clips of protests against immigrant deportations, police violence and rental laws and highlighted Williams' own arrests for civil disobedience.

— Williams got early endorsements from Comptroller-elect Brad Lander and Brooklyn Borough President-elect Antonio Reynoso.

— Hochul got endorsements from two Democratic Party county leaders, Joe Landry of Schenectady and Scott Reing of Putnam County, to win a full term.

— Mayor-elect Eric Adams said he's likely to endorse in the upcoming gubernatorial race. "I believe I will," he said, when asked about his plans to weigh in on the Democratic primary. "We're going to analyze that, look at their platforms.They're going to start campaigning. We're going to see where we are aligned on important issues," Adams told reporters Tuesday. "New York is an important place. I will make a determination based on what they're campaigning on and what they think our city should look like." He called Williams, Hochul and James as "great candidates" and notably left out his soon-to-be predecessor Mayor Bill de Blasio, who filed campaign paperwork earlier this month for an undeclared statewide office. — Amanda Eisenberg

"Dan Goldman, lead counsel in Trump impeachment, to run for New York attorney general," by Daily News' Michael Gartland: "Dan Goldman, the chief lawyer who oversaw the impeachment probe of former President Donald Trump, will announce his run for New York attorney general on Tuesday, adding himself to a growing list of candidates in what's expected to be a crowded race next year. Goldman, 45, rose to prominence on the national stage in 2019 when he became the Democrats' lead counsel for the impeachment investigation into Trump. His efforts ultimately proved successful, but Goldman told the Daily News on Monday that unfinished business remains in the aftermath of Trump and he intends to put a dent in that if elected as the state's highest-ranking law enforcement official."

TODAY: Teachout focuses on survivors' rights as attorney general campaign begins, by POLITICO's Anna Gronewold: The first item on Zephyr Teachout's campaign agenda is something of a callback. Teachout, who announced her second run for state attorney general on Monday, is backing two changes she believes the state Legislature should make to strengthen rights for survivors of sexual harassment and abuse...Both were active bills in the 2021 legislative session, but failed to pass the full Legislature. Both were also priorities of the Sexual Harassment Working Group, a group of former legislative staffers looking to reform how harassment is handled in Albany, and who count Teachout as one of their earliest backers.

#UpstateAmerica: The Village of Canajoharie is fighting to expel a man's emotional support pig from the community.

WOMEN RULE: JOIN US TODAY FOR A TALK ABOUT THE NEW WORLD OF WORK: The way women work, including what is expected and demanded from their workplaces, has been upended. How should businesses, governments, and workers take advantage of this opportunity to rethink what wasn't working and strengthen working environments for women moving forward? Join the Women Rule community to discuss with leading women and explore how they are seizing the moment. REGISTER HERE.

FROM THE DELEGATION

House will vote to censure Gosar anime video that depicted killing of AOC, by POLITICO's Heather Caygle, Olivia Beavers, and Katherine Tully-McManus: The House will vote Wednesday to censure Rep. Paul Gosar after the Arizona Republican posted a violent cartoon video last week depicting him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Joe Biden. The resolution will also yank Gosar off both of his committees, which include the House Oversight and Reform Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee. He serves on the Oversight panel alongside Ocasio-Cortez. Ocasio-Cortez said while she believes members who threaten their colleagues should face the most severe consequences, including expulsion, she approved of the move to censure Gosar.

AROUND NEW YORK

— The Fearless Girl statue's permit is about to expire.

— Hochul signed legislation allowing for the vacating of convictions stemming from crimes committed as a result of sex or labor trafficking.

— "A new batch of recruits spends a day training to be N.Y.P.D. community guides — like Walmart greeters for police precincts — as part of the department's new customer-service push."

— A sex toy company got the go-ahead to advertise on the subway after settling a lawsuit with the MTA.

— A former music executive who filmed himself sexually abusing women while they slept was sentenced to four months in prison.

— American journalist Danny Fenster landed in New York and reunited with his family after being freed from captivity in Myanmar.

— A City Council candidate's unsuccessful campaign in Queens ended with a physical altercation over campaign canvassers, many of whom were homeless, not getting paid.

— Mariah Carey's estranged sister is struggling to get Social Security benefits in Greene County.

— Freihofer's Chocolate Chip Cookies are back after Hurricane Ida supply chain issues.

— Some Queens residents are still living in a hotel due to Hurrican Ida damage.

SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Domestic Policy Council director Susan Rice … Lorne Michaels … NBC's Noah Oppenheim … Labor Department's Ahmad Ramadan … Howard Fineman … MSNBC's Lily Corvo … WSJ's Felicia Schwartz … Chris Stirewalt … Michelle Tasoff

MAKING MOVES — Eric Phillips has been named executive vice president and head of New York's crisis & risk practice at Edelman. He has been senior vice president at the firm and was formerly Mayor Bill de Blasio's press secretary. … Todd Williamson is now head of corporate communications at Equitable Holdings. He was previously a senior vice president at public affairs firm SKDK. …

… Josh J. Jamieson is now deputy press secretary at the city Department of Small Business Services. He has been communications director to Council Member Ben Kallos. … Ben Milakofsky is now chief of staff and strategic adviser at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, working as a member of the leadership team and as a partner for the university's new Climate School. He most recently was chief of staff at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. … Christian Kreznar is taking on an editing role at the Council on Foreign Relations. He most recently was an assistant editor at Forbes. (h/t National Security Daily)

OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at a book party on Tuesday night at Cafe Milano for Jonathan Karl and his new book "Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show" ($23.49 on Amazon): Franco Nuschese, Jen Psaki, UAE Amb. Yousef Al Otaiba, Dr. Tony Fauci, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Bob Woodward, Andrea Mitchell, Robert Albritton, Mike Allen, Jim VandeHei, Wolf Blitzer, Lis Smith, Andrew Bates, Kaitlan Collins, Meridith McGraw, Eric Schultz, Sam Feist, Kelly O'Donnell, Jim Margolis, Doug Heye, Jeff Zeleny, Margaret Talev, Ann Compton, Devin Dwyer, Marc Burstein, Nancy Murphy, Cecilia Vega, Rick Klein, Dax Tejera and David Chalian.

— SPOTTED at a book party on Tuesday night hosted by David Brock and co-hosted by John Podesta, Kelly Craighead, Anna Burger, Mary Pat Bonner and Jon Cowan for Jenny Frutchey, a longtime adviser to Peter Lewis, the late billionaire Democratic donor who has written a small booklet with the wit and wisdom of Lewis: Ted Strickland, Laura Quinn, Anna Greenberg, Dana Milbank, David Dreyer, Kathryn Tolbert, Eric London, Gloria Totten, Sara Wartell, Shannon Roche, Lisa Frank and Katherine Greenberg. Pic of Podesta talking to the crowd.

REAL ESTATE

"Queens Families Displaced By Ida Told to Pack Up and Move to Brooklyn From JFK Hotel," by The City's Katie Honan: "Families flooded out of Queens homes by the record-breaking Ida rainstorm may soon be forced by the city to relocate from a Radisson hotel near Kennedy Airport and move a borough away. The looming trip to one of two hotels in downtown Brooklyn could take place before Thanksgiving, the Ida evacuees say they've been told by the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development."

"Green Electricity Could Juice Efforts to Cut NYC Buildings' Carbon Cloud: Study ,'' by The City's Samantha Maldonado: "The success of a city law aimed at slashing planet-warming emissions from buildings could depend on executing a state law to green the power grid, according to a new report. The study, released by NYU's Guarini Center, found that if the grid de-carbonizes by 2040 — on pace with requirements of the state's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act — most office building owners and some apartment managers wouldn't have to do much to comply with Local Law 97's emission limits."

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