| | | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Deanna Garcia | Jumaane Williams will officially throw his hat in the ring for governor, with an announcement expected early this week. Fresh off his own landslide re-election as New York City public advocate, our Sally Goldenberg reports, he's set to jump into the fray against Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Tish James. This one will be a rematch of sorts, since Williams took on Hochul in 2018 as an upstart candidate for lieutenant governor, and came within striking distance of winning. That picture is complicated, however, by the presence of the attorney general who brought down Andrew Cuomo and is now running to become the state's first Black woman governor. Given the broad view of how formidable James' candidacy is, some of her backers are questioning Williams' recent intentions. But one Williams associate summed up the case to Sally this way: "Especially in New York City, people have seen Jumaane out there in ways I'm not sure they've seen Tish — as an activist, as a fighter, as someone marching in the streets." If New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio jumps into the race too, that would make three prominent Brooklynites looking for the governor's job — par for the course with the borough's domination of local politics these days, as The New York Times notes this weekend . But in a competitive election, more candidates representing the same base does not necessarily equate to a higher chance of winning — and Hochul is likely banking on her foes from downstate splitting the vote to her advantage. (Also relevant: there will be no ranked-choice voting in this state-level race.) Hochul's also banking on being flush with cash. Her campaign said she has raised $10 million since she formally entered the 2022 gubernatorial race in August. That's a lot of money, even by the standards of the state's freewheeling campaign finance system — more than Cuomo ever raised in one filing period, and there is still a third of the current period left to go. It puts Hochul on track to bring in the biggest campaign haul ever for a gubernatorial candidate. IT'S MONDAY. 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? Meeting with the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus in Albany and attending the signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in Washington, D.C. WHERE'S BILL? Holding a media availability. WHERE'S ERIC? No public schedule by press time. | | | | DON'T MISS POLITICO'S SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT: Join POLITICO's Sustainability Summit on Tuesday, Nov. 16 and hear leading voices from Washington, state houses, city halls, civil society and corporate America discuss the most viable policy and political solutions that balance economic, environmental and social interests. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
|  | WHAT CITY HALL'S READING | | "FDNY, sanitation workers under probe for vaccination fraud, sources say," by New York Post's Susan Edelman and Melissa Klein: "COVID-19 vaccination fraud may be spreading faster than the deadly bug itself among New York City workers, The Post has learned. At least two city agencies, the FDNY and Sanitation Department, are in the crosshairs of a probe into employees submitting phony proof of the COVID-19 vaccine — in some cases stealing blank vax cards — in order to comply with Mayor Bill de Blasio's jab mandate, insiders said. At the FDNY, the scheme appears to involve the theft of the blank cards from the agency's Brooklyn headquarters and other facilities where the department was offering jabs, according to a source." "Family affair: Adams campaign paid Brooklyn Dem boss' hubby $80K," by New York Post's Julia Marsh and Nolan Hicks: "It pays to be married to the boss. Eric Adams' mayoral campaign overpaid a campaign consultant who did little work — because he is the powerful Brooklyn Democratic Party leader's husband, multiple sources claimed to The Post. Edu Hermelyn, husband of Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the Kings County Democratic Party chair, received a $10,000-a-month retainer from the Adams campaign for consulting services, public filings show. But sources say it was an overly generous sum given his level of expertise. And critics worry the arrangement is a sign of the outsize influence the borough's resurgent Democratic machine — which has seen three of its five bosses since the 1960s felled by scandal — will have at City Hall." — "Several top Brooklyn elected officials joined the chorus Friday calling for the borough's Democratic Party boss to step down after her husband recited a vulgar, sexist song lyric during a Zoom meeting." " Vance Depletes Manhattan DA's $715M Bank Haul, Leaving Bragg With Small Change," by The City's Reuven Blau: "Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance has spent nearly $715 million in money reaped from big-bucks case settlements on criminal justice programs, records show — leaving his successor, Alvin Bragg, with just a small fraction of the kitty. The asset forfeiture funds — largely gained from banks doing business in a world financial capital — has paid for everything from the $38 million review of thousands of old rape kits throughought the country to smartphones and tablets for NYPD cops to NYCHA infrastructure safety upgrades. Vance has also come under fire for tapping the dollars to travel across globe for law enforcement conferences — spending nearly $250,000 on meals and work trips to everywhere from Los Angeles to Paris." "State Senate Democrat Warns Of 'Five-Alarm Fire' Threatening Voting Rights," by WNYC's Brigid Bergen: "New Yorkers face threats to voting rights that's driven by a widespread problem: an electoral system with a history of systematic failures. Those are the findings of a 46-page report to be released by the state Senate Elections Committee on Monday, which proposes a series of reforms that include overhauling the New York City Board of Elections (NYCBOE). … The recommendation to restructure the NYCBOE involves reducing the number of commissioners from 10 and removing the role of each borough's Democratic and Republican party bosses, who currently select the commissioners for the agency." | | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | Cuomo won't leave New York alone, by POLITICO's Anna Gronewold: Andrew Cuomo will not go away. Three months after resigning in disgrace, battered by misconduct allegations leveled by nearly a dozen women, the former New York governor continues to make weekly headlines. His lawyer is holding press conferences asking for new material to be added to investigations that were already concluded. New pro-Cuomo merchandise and affiliated groups have popped up online. Public opinion polls keep asking about him. And the Democrat's remaining advisers haven't dismissed the idea he could try a political comeback — and soon. Even as Albany's insiders focus on Cuomo's successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams, they privately continue chattering, worrying, that Cuomo might run for office next year, or at the very least employ his substantial remaining resources to influence critical races in the months to come. — "Ex-Gov. Cuomo, married aide DeRosa allegedly caught 'making out': trooper," by New York Post's By Bernadette Hogan and Bruce Golding: "Ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his then-top aide, Melissa DeRosa, were allegedly spotted by a state police bodyguard 'making out on the sidewalk like high schoolers,' The Post has learned... Although DeRosa isn't identified as Cuomo's kissing partner in the 143-page document, three sources with knowledge of the proceedings said her name is among several that were blacked out and replaced with job titles, which in her case is 'Senior Staffer #1' — the person with whom the then-governor was allegedly seen canoodling." — "Brittany Commisso, one of the women accusing ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual misconduct, suggested to investigators that allies of the disgraced politician tried to meddle in her divorce proceedings in a brazen attempt to discredit her, according to disturbing new transcripts released this week." "Covid rates are climbing upstate. What is Hochul doing about it?" by Buffalo News' Tom Precious: "Her predecessor, the now-disgraced Andrew Cuomo, who left office in August under a sexual harassment cloud, made a public point of almost embarrassing regions with high Covid rates. ... In short, he played the role of Covid Czar, and he was criticized for the heavy hand, the shutting out of some health experts and local officials. In contrast, Hochul has made clear from the start that local government experts would be in the driver's seat for many Covid response decisions. ... Hochul has been on a pandemic optimism tour downstate, where officials believe encouraging numbers are a result of high vaccination compliance, strict adherence to mask-wearing and some of the state's strictest rules, like proof of vaccination to get into a restaurant." — "New York State has hit 3 percent in the seven-day average for positivity in testing for COVID-19, as virus indicators tick up and the state heads for what medical experts fear will be another holiday season surge." "GOP, Conservatives strategy helped defeat 3 ballot propositions," by Newsday's Michael Gormley: "A coalition of Republicans and Conservatives executed a precisely timed and expensive strategy to defeat three of five statewide propositions on the November ballot, handing Democrats a rare defeat, according to records and interviews. Three propositions involving voting expansion and redrawing of elections districts were rejected by voters and the number of absentee ballots yet to be counted won't be enough to overturn the unofficial results on election night, state officials said. The underdog effort against the propositions employed a strategic 13-day, $3.5 million TV and radio ad campaign by the state Conservative Party and a statewide tour by Republican officials, according to political leaders on both sides of the issue." #UpstateAmerica: New York may see an epic lake effect snow season. | | | | WOMEN RULE: JOIN US WEDNESDAY 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 | | "New York man arrested after death threat to GOP congressman," by The Associated Press: "A Long Island man has been arrested for making a death threat against a Republican congressman who voted for the $1 trillion infrastructure package, police said. Kenneth Gasper, 64, was arrested Wednesday for a telephoned death threat against Rep. Andrew Garbarino, Nassau County police said in a news release. Police said Gasper made the phone call Monday over a vote by Garbarino that Gasper 'did not agree with.' Gasper called Garbarino's district office, cursed at the staff member who answered and called Garbarino a RINO, an insult that stands for 'Republican in name only,' according to the criminal complaint. Gasper warned that if he saw Garbarino on the street he would kill him, the complaint says." | | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | "Trump vows primary battles against pro-infrastructure Republicans," by New York Post's Mary Kay Linge: "Former President Donald Trump is demanding primaries for the 'RINOs, sellouts, and known losers' who crossed him on last week's infrastructure vote — with three notable exceptions. Trump, in a Saturday email blast to followers of his Save America PAC, asked for 'good and SMART America First Republican Patriots to run primary campaigns' against 11 GOP representatives — almost all of whom voted 'yea' on the Democrats' $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill on Nov. 5. 'You will have my backing!' he promised the potential challengers. But Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-SI/Bkln), New York City's lone Republican House member, managed to escape Trump's ire, along with Reps. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania." "Ex-'Apprentice' Contestant Drops Defamation Lawsuit Against Trump," by The New York Times' Jonah E. Bromwich: "A woman who appeared as a contestant on 'The Apprentice,' the reality television show Donald J. Trump hosted before he ran for president, has agreed to end her defamation lawsuit against him, her lawyers said on Friday. The woman, Summer Zervos, filed the suit in 2017 after Mr. Trump accused her of lying when she said he had kissed and groped her without her consent. The lawsuit stalled for a time as Mr. Trump sought to have it dismissed, but a court allowed it to continue after he left office." " NYC's Wollman Rink reopens in Central Park, minus Trump management," by New York Daily News' Shant Shahrigian: "Bye-bye, Trump Organization. Hello, skaters. Central Park's Wollman Rink opened for the winter season under new management on Sunday. It was the first time since 1986 that skaters used the iconic rink near the southern end of of the park without the proceeds going to former President Donald Trump's company." | | AROUND NEW YORK | | — New York state is warning that it may divest from Unilever, the company that owns Ben & Jerry's, over the ice cream manufacturer's decision to restrict sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. — Ten state senators are asking Hochul to name a public defender to the New York Court of Appeals. — Rikers Island was thrown into lockdown when an inmate escaped from his cell and attempted to steal an employee's car. — An MTA payroll error caused thousands of transit workers to be overcharged on pension deductions out of their paychecks for years. — Hochul fired the state director for Italian-American Affairs appointed by her predecessor, angering some civic leaders. — A new documentary explores the clash between ex-NYC Transit boss Andy Byford and Andrew Cuomo. — Comic book enthusiasts turned out in large numbers at the second annual Empire Comic Book Fest in Rochester. — Canadian hockey fans made the journey to Buffalo to watch the Sabres play the Maple Leafs on Saturday — a pleasure they were denied while the border was closed. — The sheriff's office in Jefferson County has been swamped with requests for pistol permits. — Yemeni entrepreneurs in Brooklyn are reclaiming high-end coffee, which was invented in their homeland. — New York State Attorney General's office is investigating the arrests of Black Lives Matter demonstrators and other potential misuses of police power in Saratoga Springs. | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Fox News' John Roberts ... AP's Zeke Miller … Jen Palmieri … CNN's Laura Bernardini … Lee Cochran of the Blackstone Group … Alexandra Lippman … FT's Silvia Sciorilli Borrelli … Robert Draper … Carey Wolchok ... Helen Brosnan … Deann Forman ... (was Sunday): Peter Lattman ... Rachel Noerdlinger … P.J. O'Rourke … NBC's Amy Lynn … Brunswick Group's Joshua Friedlander … Lana Fern ... Bloomberg Opinion's Jonathan Landman … Mike Katz ... Steven H. Cymbrowitz ... Pamela Bookman ... Airbnb's Josh Meltzer … ... (was Saturday): A.G. Merrick Garland … CNN's Eric Bradner … Addie Whisenant … NBC's Bradd Jaffy … Jonathan Topaz … Harry Hurt III turned 7-0 … Jeff Rossen … Leah Breen … Saul Kripke ... Julia Thompson MAKING MOVES — Garrett Marquis is now global head of external communications at BNY Mellon. Marquis, who's also an adjunct professor at SMU and USC, was VP and senior adviser to the CEO of the International Development Finance Corporation and served as NSC spokesman for John Bolton in the Trump White House. SPOTTED: Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy watching the Jets/Bills game together on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. … former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Hilary Geary Ross at Paris Hilton's wedding to Carter Reum on Thursday in Bel Air. Pic WEDDING — Andrew Katz and Marysa Greenawalt, via NYT: "He is now the deputy director of photography at Time magazine; she is a freelance photo editor at The New York Times. … They were wed Oct. 24 before 90 vaccinated guests at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn." WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Clare Krupin, senior editor at Pivotal Ventures and speechwriter to Melinda French Gates, and Stephen Krupin, head of executive comms at SKDK and former Obama speechwriter, on Tuesday welcomed William Michael Krupin. | | REAL ESTATE | | "New York to Stop Accepting Applications for Pandemic Rental Aid," by The New York Times' Mihir Zaveri and Matthew Haag: "New York State said on Friday that it would stop taking most requests for its pandemic rent relief for struggling tenants because an overwhelming number of applicants had left the program nearly out of money. The huge demand for aid underscores the severe economic pain inflicted by the coronavirus outbreak. Since the $2.4 billion program started this summer, the state has received nearly 280,000 applications for help paying overdue rent and utility bills. As of this week, New York had paid out $1 billion — nearly 85 percent in cases involving New York City renters — with another $1.1 billion committed to be given out but where more paperwork was needed from landlords."
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