News : POLITICO New York Playbook: Giuliani barred from debate studio over vaccine status

Monday, June 13, 2022

POLITICO New York Playbook: Giuliani barred from debate studio over vaccine status

Jun 13, 2022

By Erin Durkin, Anna Gronewold and Julian Shen-Berro

Presented by Instacart

The first Republican gubernatorial primary debate is set for tonight, and there's some drama: Andrew Giuliani has been barred from debating in person at CBS's studio because he refuses to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Giuliani took the opportunity to rail against vaccine mandates and the debate hosts, whose policy has since last year required all visitors to be vaccinated. Among just 5 percent of eligible New Yorkers who have not gotten a dose of a vaccine, the GOP contender said he offered to get tested instead and was rebuffed. He will be allowed to participate virtually. "I chose very clearly that I was not going to get this shot," he said Sunday, adding that if elected governor, "What I will do on day one is throw all of these mandates in the dustbin of history."

Giuliani — whose campaign events' main draw has been his father Rudy, as The New York Times noted this weekend — is up against Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican Party's chosen standard-bearer, as well as Rob Astorino and the more moderate Harry Wilson.

Though they submitted their own vaccine proof, Giuliani's foes are actually backing him up in the debate over the debate, to a point. Zeldin said it was "ridiculous" to exclude him from the stage while Astorino called it "stupid." "It's outrageous and completely unreasonable," added state Republican Party chair Nick Langworthy. The stance provides a clear point of contrast with New York Democrats, who have maintained mandates requiring health care workers statewide and all private and government employees in New York City to be vaccinated.

But while Zeldin called the remote option a "nonstarter" and suggested moving the debate, Giuliani says he'll be showing up even if it's by Zoom. "This cannot be an excuse for any of my opponents not to show up and debate tomorrow night," he said. "That would be absolutely cowardly."

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? Signing a package of abortion legislation.

WHERE'S ERIC? Appearing on Good Day New York, speaking at an Association of Assistant Principals awards dinner, the Apollo Theater's spring benefit, and the Anti Social Productions' Industry Showcase.

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What City Hall's reading

Mayor, City Council announce deal on $101 billion budget as inflation soars, by POLITICO's Joe Anuta, Madina Touré and Sally Goldenberg: Mayor Eric Adams announced a deal Friday for his first budget — a $101.1 billion spending plan that boosts funding for a host of public safety initiatives without growing NYPD's allocation, offers homeowners a property tax rebate without reducing real estate tax revenue, and sets aside cash for modest raises as the city's unionized workforce negotiates expiring contracts. The Fiscal Year 2023 budget, which takes effect July 1, accomplishes the mayor and City Council's goals to finance their priorities while increasing savings. But it does little to achieve the belt-tightening Adams promised during the campaign last year. The budget is up $2.4 billion from Mayor Bill de Blasio's final spending plan adopted one year ago — and $1.4 billion from Adams' own proposal in April. The municipal workforce's 305,000 headcount remains flat.

— The agreement follows through on cuts to school budgets due to declining enrollment.

— The deal excludes Adams' proposal for money to hire hundreds of additonal correction officers.

"Federal court takeover of NYC jails looms, stakeholders rip Rikers plan ," by New York Post's Rich Calder: "The city Department of Correction has submitted a new plan defending itself as best suited to revamping its troubled jail system on Rikers Island, but key stakeholders have ripped the proposal in new legal papers. The 30-page proposal offered Friday comes as the city jails face the prospect of being placed under the control of a federal receiver — considered a last resort. The 'action plan' is expected to be the DOC's final chance given by Manhattan federal Judge Laura Taylor Swain to outline a strategy for resolving longstanding allegations that correction officers routinely use excessive force against inmates. The proposal offers timelines for restructuring the department's leadership, cracking down on absenteeism, expediting disciplinary cases of uniformed officers and dealing with other issues that have plagued city lockups."

"NYPD exodus: Police on pace to quit, retire in record numbers," by New York Post's Dean Balsamini: "More than 1,500 NYPD officers have either resigned or retired so far this year — on pace to be the biggest exodus of officers since the statistics have been available, The Post has learned. Some 524 cops have resigned and 1,072 have retired as of May 31, NYPD pension stats obtained by The Post show. The 1,596 total is a 38% spike from the same period in 2021, when 1,159 cops called it a career, and a staggering 46% climb from 2020, when 1,092 left the force by the same date."

" Faulty Door at Site of Deadly Twin Parks Blaze Was Cited by Inspectors in 2019 for Failure to Self-Close," by The City's Greg B. Smith: "Days after a deadly fire at the Twin Parks apartment building killed 17 tenants last January, fire officials determined that the blaze was able to quickly sweep through the entire building due to a chimney effect created by self-closing doors that didn't function. What they didn't know at the time was that this same exact issue had surfaced during a July 2019 state inspection of Twin Parks and another building down the street overseen by the same building manager, according to documents obtained by THE CITY via the state Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). Over two days, July 30th and 31st, state Homes & Community Renewal (HCR) inspectors performed a required annual check of the 19-story tower at 333 E. 181st St., the site of the deadly fire, as well as a six-story building at 355-365 E. 184th St. Both are called Twin Parks Northwest."

PUERTO RICAN DAY PARADE RETURNS — Mayor Eric Adams made an appearance at the 65th annual National Puerto Rican Day Parade along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan Sunday morning — the parade's return to its standard structure after a two-year break as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sporting a fedora and a Guayabera shirt with four small Puerto Rican flags, Adams told reporters it is "one of the most lively parades on Fifth Avenue." "When you talk about a parade, energy, New York, this was a symbol of New York coming back and being out here today with this rich tradition, you will have fun at this parade," he said before the parade kicked off. "This is not just an ordinary parade." The mayor appeared to receive a friendlier reception than he did when he attended the Brooklyn Pride Parade Saturday night. Some parade attendees booed Adams over his appointments of ministers who have a history of making anti-LGBTQ comments. One attendee threw a water bottle. — Madina Touré

WHAT ALBANY'S READING

Working Families to drop Maloney endorsement and back Biaggi, by POLITICO's Bill Mahoney and Anna Gronewold: The progressive Working Families Party is switching its endorsement from Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney to state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, who's challenging the five-term incumbent in the Democratic primary. The small but influential party in March endorsed Maloney, who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. But since then, New York's congressional maps were redrawn, and Maloney angered much of the left by announcing he was be running in the new district he lives in despite it heavily overlapping with the district won by party-backed Rep. Mondaire Jones in 2020 — prompting Jones to now run in New York City. "She has shown she's willing to take on a real fight for what's right," WFP state director Sochie Nnaemeka said in an interview with POLITICO. "From climate protections to ethics reforms to women's rights, she really has shown herself as an aggressive, clear-eyed and effective leader."

"Court tosses New York's new Assembly district maps — but not for this year ," by WNYC's Jon Campbell: "Don't get too used to your new state Assembly district. It won't be around for very long. A mid-level appeals court in Manhattan ruled Friday that the state Assembly's districts are unconstitutional, since Democratic state lawmakers drew them by the same method that led the courts to toss New York's congressional and state senate districts earlier this year. But with the Assembly primaries just 18 days away, the five-judge Appellate Division panel allowed the districts to remain in place for this year. That means voters will elect representatives based on the map this year, but a new map will be in place before the 2024 elections, the next time candidates can seek to run for an Assembly seat."

"Republicans Caught Every Break in New York. Then Paladino Arrived," by The New York Times' Jesse McKinley and Nicholas Fandos: "For New York's beleaguered Republican Party, all signs had been pointing for months toward 2022 being an exceptional year. ... Then Carl Paladino walked in. Mr. Paladino, the party's lightning rod former gubernatorial nominee, unexpectedly re-emerged in the past week as a candidate in the newly drawn 23rd Congressional District in Western New York, a development that has driven a sharp wedge between some Republicans, including those who feel Mr. Paladino's history of racist and outrageous remarks disqualifies him and could endanger Republicans up and down the ballot."

#UpstateAmerica: The boyhood home of Grover Cleveland in Fayetteville is for sale. (Remember he was born in New Jersey, though.)

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FROM THE DELEGATION

"NY lawmakers praise bipartisan framework on gun legislation," by Gothamist's Jake Offenhartz: "New York lawmakers are praising a bipartisan agreement that could usher in an expanded set of federal gun control measures, including enhanced background checks and funding for red flag laws. The deal, which follows back-to-back mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas, was announced on Sunday with the support of 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats in the U.S. Senate. While not yet finalized, the framework would provide incentives for states to adopt red flag laws, which allow for family or members of law enforcement to petition the courts to ban someone from buying a gun. It would also include more rigorous background checks for gun buyers between the ages of 18 to 21, increased penalties on 'straw purchasing' of firearms, and additional funds for mental health resources."

AROUND NEW YORK

— JCOPE is threatening to fine compliance lawyer David Grandeau more than $4 million.

— The Democratic National Committee eliminated New York from contention for an early presidential primary.

— Protests greeted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' appearance at Chelsea Piers.

— State legislators will likely return for a special session if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down New York gun laws, but the timing is unclear.

— Endorsements could be key in the crowded Democratic race for the newly drawn 10th Congressional District.

— A Long Island fire chief died during training for water rescues.

— A New York-based foundation, the Milbank Memorial Fund,has publicly apologized for its role in the Tuskegee syphilis study.

— The promoter of a gun show in Saugerties has decided to go ahead with the event after canceling it in light of recent mass shootings.

— New York came in second to Vermont, but still produced 845,000 gallons of maple syrup this season, a 31 percent increase.

— Dolphins are being spotted more frequently in New York Harbor.

— Two 13-year-old boys died after being pulled from the water at Jamaica Bay.

— The city is trying out new types of bike lane barriers.

— A Long Island residential foster care program will be shuttered after five teenagers allegedly took part in recent burglaries and vandalism.

— A 17-year-old Bronx mother was charged with murdering her newborn baby by throwing him out the window.

— The widow of ex-Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is seeking court permission to sell assets from her late husband's estate.

— The FDNY is seeking to establish a digital firewall to protect its workers from cyberattacks, though the effort wasn't triggered by a specific incident.

— Two horses fell out of a moving trailer on a Staten Island Expressway, suffering only minor injuries.

SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) … former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon … CNN's Jamie Zahn-Liebes … Sarah Bartnicka … Ryan Rhodes … Morgan Pitt … Philip Rosenthal … Andrew Grossman … (was Sunday): NBC's Carrie Budoff Brown … Dag Vega of BCW Global … Bloomberg's Kevin Sheekey … U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. for Management and Reform Chris Lu … Rachel D'Oro … Campbell Curry-Ledbetter … (was Saturday): Steven A. Cohen … Greta Van Susteren … Betsy Gotbaum ... Treasury's Arian Rubio … former Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) turned 92 … Yahoo News' Will Rahn … Juliette Medina … CNN's Morgan Rimmer … Wendy Teramoto

MAKING MOVES — Michael Shapiro, the deputy assistant secretary for economic policy at DOT, is leaving federal service to return to the private sector in New York, where he lives with his family. … Beyond Plastics has hired Andrew Craigie as its new program coordinator. He was previously a legislative analyst at Whiteman, Osterman and Hanna.

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Real Estate

"Not Just a Fence: The Story of a Stainless Steel Status Symbol," by The New York Times' Anna P. Kambhampaty: "On the residential streets of Flushing, Queens, and Sunset Park, Brooklyn, steel fences line almost every other house. They're silver, sometimes embellished with gold, and they're in striking contrast to the modest brick and vinyl-clad houses that they encircle, like a diamond necklace worn atop an old white T-shirt. 'If you have money to spare, you should always get the better option,' said Dilip Banerjee, gesturing toward his neighbors' wrought iron fences and basking in the shine of his own steel fence, handrails, door and awning that cost him about $2,800 to add to his unassuming two-story house in Flushing."

"The Hotel Is 642 Feet Tall. Its 'Architect' Says He Never Saw the Plans.," by The New York Times' Matthew Haag: "Amid the glittering geometric towers that dot the Manhattan skyline, the hotel on 11th Avenue in Hudson Yards was designed to stand out. At 642 feet tall, the building soars above the Hudson River, featuring jagged sets of floor-to-ceiling windows that shimmer in the sun. To all outward appearances, Warren L. Schiffman, who is in his mid-80s and retired, was the architect of record on the project. His professional seal and signature were stamped on its design and those of two other large-scale projects in New York City, a hotel near La Guardia Airport and dual high-rise residences in Queens. All share the same developer, Marx Development Group. But Mr. Schiffman said he had no active role in those projects, a statement that raises questions about whether the buildings were approved for construction without the oversight and involvement of a registered architect — a requirement in New York State to ensure that buildings are properly designed and do not pose a safety risk."