| | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Deanna Garcia | The potential for a Supreme Court decision that could alter reproductive rights across the country is giving New York Democrats a much-needed common enemy, and everyone is getting in on the action. Attorney General Tish James yesterday announced a bill that would widen access and resources for low-income people from out of state who may seek abortions in New York if Roe vs. Wade is overturned, proposing a state fund to help pay for the procedures and travel costs. The legislation is among a number of bills state lawmakers are considering ahead of the end of the session, scheduled for June 2, that would protect and expand resources for those seeking abortions. Democrats, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, say that it's not just politicians — the threat to Roe will fire up Democratic voters who otherwise might have remained more passive this year. That's not great news for Republicans, who have been hoping to keep the narrative focused on public safety and violent crime rates under Democratic Party rule. Already, it looks like Rep. Lee Zeldin, who has the backing of the state GOP party in his run for governor, is hoping to rein the abortion talk in. Zeldin emphasized yesterday that although he personally is "pro-life," broad access to abortion will remain legal in New York regardless of the Supreme Court's forthcoming decision because of the state's expansive laws. "Nothing changes in the state of New York," he said at a campaign event in Queens. Hochul's campaign team said those statements just show he's worried about the issue's prominence. "Lee Zeldin can't hide the facts about his own out-of-touch agenda on reproductive rights," campaign press secretary Jen Goodman said in a statement. "Just a few weeks ago, Lee Zeldin made it clear that if elected, he would be an anti-choice governor with an anti-choice health commissioner. This is a wake-up call to what's at stake in New York if Zeldin has his way." 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 KATHY? Appearing on NBC's Today Show and making a virtual announcement. WHERE'S ERIC? Speaking at NYCxDESIGN's 10th Anniversary Festival, an entertainment-related event, and Bank of America's 7th Annual Global Equities Head Trader Conference, meeting with the ambassador and consul general of France, giving a commencement address at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, and throwing out the first pitch at the Yankees Game.
| | | | 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 | | "Unvaccinated NYC public school students cleared to attend prom," by Chalkbeat's Alex Zimmerman: "New York City public school students can attend their proms without showing proof of vaccination, city officials announced Monday. About 57% of high school students are vaccinated, according to a Chalkbeat analysis of city data from late February, so the move will significantly increase the share of students who are eligible to attend. Students are recommended, but not required, to wear a 'high-quality' mask at prom and graduation, city officials said. 'I am thrilled that, starting this year, every one of our young people will have the chance to celebrate all of their hard work with a prom and graduation, regardless of vaccination status,' Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. The announcement came after a group of City Council members sent a letter Sunday to Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan criticizing the rule." "'We have to follow the rules': Mayor Adams defends NYPD arrest of Brooklyn subway vendor," by amNewYork's Kevin Duggan: "Mayor Eric Adams defended police for cuffing and allegedly strip-searching a Brooklyn subway vendor, claiming the rule-breaking would lead to more serious violations in the underground transit system. 'We have to follow rules,' Mayor Adams said at an unrelated press conference outside City Hall Monday, May 9. 'Next day it's propane tanks being on the subway system, next day it's barbecuing on the subway system. You just can't do that,' Hizzoner added to reporters. Cops were caught on camera arresting longtime local fruit and churros vendor Maria Falcon in front of her child at the Broadway Junction subway station on April 29. Falcon told amNewYork Metro on Sunday she felt 'terrorized,' because officers made her take off some of her clothes to be strip-searched and kept her for two hours at the transit police station." New York City joins global pledge to cut food waste, by POLITICO's Erin Durkin: The city will sign on to an international pledge to cut food waste in half, Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday alongside London Mayor Sadiq Khan. New York City will join the C40 Good Food Cities Declaration, an effort by metropolises around the world to reduce the environmental impact of what their residents eat. As part of the declaration, the city pledges to cut food waste by 50 percent by 2030, compared to 2015 levels, and to promote an increase in the consumption of plant-based food. " Medical, staff breakdowns contributed to deaths of 3 Rikers Island detainees: watchdog," by New York Daily News' Graham Rayman: "A cascade of staffing and medical breakdowns contributed to the deaths of three Rikers Island detainees this year, a jails watchdog concluded in a report released Monday. The deaths of Tarz Youngblood on Feb. 27, George Pagan on March 17 and Herman Diaz one day later on March 18 each exposed systemic problems at the beleaguered jail complex, including staff indifference, missed medical treatment and delayed emergency response." " Eric Adams Wants Weapons Detectors in the Subway. Would That Bring Safety or "Absolute Chaos"?" by New York Focus' Chris Gelardi: "Last month, the day after a gunman opened fire on a crowded Brooklyn subway, New York City Mayor Eric Adams went on Good Morning America to talk about his plans for improving transit security. His big idea, which he had first floated in January, involved installing artificial intelligence-driven weapons detectors in the subway system. 'Technology has advanced so much,' Adams said. 'There's a new method that can detect weapons that are not the traditional metal detectors that you see at airports. You don't even realize it's there.' But the technology Adams was talking about, which has never been implemented at scale on public transit, has issues that could present major problems for New York's more than 3 million daily pandemic-era subway passengers." ABOUT LAST NIGHT — New York City is pledging $50 million for a child care initiative, Mayor Eric Adams announced during the annual Robin Hood gala in the Javits Center Monday evening. He committed the funds during brief remarks at the swanky affair, following an address from Robin Hood CEO — and former deputy mayor — Richard Buery about the philanthropic organization's own $50 million fundraising effort for the same cause. "These are not issues that are read about. These are not issues that are heard during some academic study or research," Adams told hundreds at the decked-out event, where well-dressed attendees dined on an English pea and whipped cheese appetizer ahead of a steak entree. The mayor, who is at odds with the left flank of the Democratic Party, shared his own experiences growing up poor in the 1960s and '70s before joining the NYPD. "Read my documents. Twitter is not academic research," he said, highlighting his plans to expand foster care opportunities and dyslexia screening. He got applause after giving shoutouts to his two predecessors in attendance — Mike Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio. After a musical performance from hit pop singer Charlie Pluth and some stand-up comedy from John Mulaney, Mark Bezos — the younger brother to Amazon's Jeff Bezos — auctioned off a trip to outer space. The winner: Hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, who put up $8 million for the journey alongside a public school teacher yet to be chosen. — Sally Goldenberg
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | "Ethics commission hits back at Cuomo, seeking $5M book repayment," by Times Union's Chris Bragg: "New York's ethics oversight commission countersued ex-Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo late Friday, filing a court action seeking to force the repayment of $5.1 million in book proceeds paid to the former governor. In March, the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics had passed a resolution ordering Cuomo to repay the millions he collected for 'American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic.' But he has taken no steps to comply with the JCOPE order to repay the book's publisher, Penguin Random House. In the counterclaim, attorneys representing the commission asked that Cuomo be forced to repay the funds, and for an injunction barring Cuomo from disbursing the millions in the meantime." "New York's once-booming oil industry and the risky wells it left behind," by City & State's Ilena Peng and Jessie Blaeser: "Since 2014, the [state Department of Environmental Conservation] has plugged about 360 abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells. The state has records for roughly 7,300 orphaned wells. Of these, only 2,588 have been located by the department. As of a 2018 estimate, an additional 34,000 orphaned wells exist in the state that no one has been able to locate. These wells dot private properties, lurk in wetlands and hide beneath forest canopies, presenting potential environmental and safety risks for the state and the people who live nearby. Allegany and Cattaraugus counties account for 74% of the state's documented abandoned and unplugged wells. While the infrastructure package should boost efforts to plug these wells in New York, the state won't get everything it asked for, according to Adam Peltz, senior attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund." "Long Island school board elections get 'nasty,'" by Newsday's Craig Schneider: "Political and advocacy groups have been increasingly injecting themselves into traditionally nonpartisan school board elections on Long Island, endorsing candidates, assisting in campaigns and inflaming divisions ahead of the May 17 voting. The presence of these groups has shaken up the landscape in these generally low-key elections, creating battlegrounds in races in which incumbents often ran unopposed and issues centered on school budgets and tax rates. The board races often tend to draw low turnouts, occurring in May versus most other elections in November, and those elected are not paid for serving. "The new climate has driven some potential candidates to not run or seek reelection, including 12-year Sachem school board member Jim Kiernan. 'It's open season to be as nasty as you can be,' said Kiernan, 74, of Holbrook. 'Years ago, I couldn't tell you what political party people belonged to on the board. Political parties, they never got involved.'" " As COVID continues steady rise in New York, infected Gov. Hochul urges testing, boosters," by Daily News' Tim Balk: "New York's reported COVID case rate hit its highest level in more than three months Monday, as Gov. Hochul urged use of consistent testing and booster shots in response to the steady virus spread. The state's weeklong case rate has roughly doubled since early April, according to the governor's office, and is higher than at any point since Feb. 3. Though a significant share of cases appear asymptomatic, daily death tolls are beginning to creep up. The tally hit 18 on Monday." " Suozzi campaign poll projects momentum in final weeks," by Spectrum's Nick Reisman: "A poll conducted by the Democratic gubernatorial campaign of Rep. Tom Suozzi shows him building momentum in the final weeks of the primary and projects him to surpass Gov. Kathy Hochul by late June when voting begins. The poll conducted by HarrisX and released to Spectrum News 1 by the Suozzi campaign comes has the Long Island congressman has criticized Hochul's administration on issues like crime and public safety over the last several months, while simultaneously arguing he is more apt to prevent a Republican victory in November." #UpstateAmerica: Is Western NY better than the West Coast? "Buffalo's Booming Film Industry: Why Hollywood is coming here"
| | | | DON'T MISS DIGITAL FUTURE DAILY - OUR TECHNOLOGY NEWSLETTER, RE-IMAGINED: Technology is always evolving, and our new tech-obsessed newsletter is too! Digital Future Daily unlocks the most important stories determining the future of technology, from Washington to Silicon Valley and innovation power centers around the world. Readers get an in-depth look at how the next wave of tech will reshape civic and political life, including activism, fundraising, lobbying and legislating. Go inside the minds of the biggest tech players, policymakers and regulators to learn how their decisions affect our lives. Don't miss out, subscribe today. | | | | | | | AROUND NEW YORK | | — Eric Adams is postponing his trip to Albany to push for a mayoral control extension due to scheduling conflicts. — Transportation commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez called for city control of speed and red light cameras. — City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams called on Mayor Adams' administration to stop doing business with an energy company owned by Republican megadonor John Catsimatidis over a union dispute. — A Queens woman who was the victim of a Mother's Day hit and run has died. — A man in FDNY clothes seen taunting abortion rights-supporting protesters outside a church in a video that went viral is not affiliated with the fire department. — The state has its first chief disability officer. — A GOP City Council member claims her colleagues threw objects at her screen while she was speaking remotely at a hearing, but people who were there said the whole thing was made up. — The New Yorkers for a Fair Economy coalition rolled out a report examining the correlation between declining wages within the warehouse and delivery industry and Amazon's growth in New York. — The Brooklyn DA sought clemency for a prominent counselor in the Hasidic Jewish community convicted of sexually abusing a girl.
| | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Bloomberg News' Craig Gordon … New York mag's Gabe Debenedetti … CNN's Jeremy Herb … Adam Janofsky … Grace Rauh … Lance Gould … Mercatus Center's Veronique de Rugy … Stephen M. Ross … Jocelyn Austin Cholewinski … Lucy Jackson MAKING MOVES — Former Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is joining Actum LLC as a co-chair… Rose Christ and Katie Schwab will be the new co-chairs of Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies's New York Practice, which covers both Albany and New York City government relations. Stuart Shorenstein , the longtime head lobbyist, is stepping back but will remain involved with the practice. ENGAGED — Christianné L. Allen, manager of strategic partnerships and VIPs at GETTR and a Rudy Giuliani alum, on Sunday got engaged to Jeff Hughes. Hughes proposed in front of George Washington's Mount Vernon. Pic ... Another pic WEEKEND WEDDING — Sopan Deb, a New York Times writer and author of forthcoming novel "Keya Dad's Second Act," recently married Wesley Dietrich , an associate at Cooley LLP. The wedding was at the Mills House in Charleston, one of their favorite cities and where part of her family is based. The couple met on Twitter (kind of). Sopan was rotating through the breaking news desk at NYT and the two connected about a story and decided to get a drink. The wedding was almost exactly 5 years later. Instapics WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Casey Enders, the founder of independent management consulting firm Resolve, Inc. and a Carly Fiorina alum, and Stuart Skeates, an engagement manager at McKinsey, on April 27 welcomed Max Henry Skeates. Pic — Anne Muscarella, chief of staff at Braintrust and an alum of OZY Media, High10 Media and Fox Business, and Matthew Hayes, senior manager at Genentech, recently welcomed Charles "Charlie" Edwin Hayes, who came in at 8lbs 4oz and 20 inches. Pic ... Another pic
| | Real Estate | | "Taxpayers May Foot Bill for Penn Station Revitalization, Report Says," by The New York Times' Matthew Haag and Dana Rubinstein: "To restore the ailing Pennsylvania Station, both Gov. Kathy Hochul and her predecessor endorsed an extraordinary reimagining of Midtown Manhattan with 10 super-tall skyscrapers — among the largest real estate projects in American history. The ambitious undertaking would be complex but necessary, they said, as the development of new towers would help pay for much-needed improvements at Penn Station, which was, before the pandemic, the busiest train station in the Western Hemisphere and, perhaps, the most universally disliked. But just as New York State is set to approve the project as soon as next month, a new analysis by New York City's Independent Budget Office has raised serious questions about the financial viability of the development, the state's role in it and the possibility that taxpayers would have to foot the bill if the revenue its boosters are expecting fails to materialize." — "Suozzi accuses developer of funding pols to try to delay Penn Station renovation ," by New York Post's David Meyer "Just 8% Of Manhattan Workers Are Back To Offices Full Time: Poll," by Patch's Matt Troutman: "Manhattan's canyons of office buildings are largely empty and could remain so even after the coronavirus pandemic ends, a new poll found. Just 8 percent of Manhattan's one million office workers are going back to their workplaces five days a week, according to a poll released Monday by the Partnership For New York City. And 38 percent are in the workplace on an average workday, the poll indicates." " At City Council Budget Hearing, Commissioner Previews Adams Housing Plan," by Gotham Gazette's Samar Khurshid: "In his State of the City speech last month, Mayor Eric Adams promised that he would in the coming weeks release a comprehensive housing plan to address perhaps the most intractable problem facing New York. At a hearing of the City Council on Monday, housing officials from his administration outlined the main principles of that agenda and gave a preview of the city's broad approach to building affordable and supportive housing, preserving public housing, and tackling the homelessness crisis." | | | | 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 | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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