| | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin , Anna Gronewold and Julian Shen-Berro | Presented by Equinor | To hear Democrats tell it, abortion rights will be on the ballot when New Yorkers cast their votes for governor next month. Republicans are now fighting back , but not exactly by making an impassioned argument for their view that abortion should not be legal. Instead, they're vowing to change exactly nothing if they win the governor's mansion. Republican gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin says the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is essentially meaningless in New York, as our Joseph Spector reports. "When we woke up the day after the decision, the law in New York was exactly the same as it was the day before. Nothing changed, and I'm not going to change it." He's even running a new ad highlighting his promise to take no action on the issue, saying: "I will not change and could not change New York's abortion law. Hochul already knows that, yet she tried to deceive you anyhow." For the record, Zeldin has voted in Congress in favor of banning abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy and describes himself as "pro-life." And Democrats say voters can't be so sure his do-nothing pledge will hold up, despite protections for abortion rights already enshrined in New York law in 2019. Lawmakers also voted to put abortion protections in the state constitution, but that requires another legislative vote and public referendum to be finalized. "There's a dozen ways a governor in an executive position can influence rulemaking," Assemblymember Deborah Glick said. Zeldin could try to limit funding for abortion-rights programs, which Hochul increased this year to help clinics serve patients coming from other states where the procedure is restricted. Just this month, he filled out a questionnaire from the Long Island Coalition for Life saying he would vote against taxpayer funding for abortion and deny funding for Planned Parenthood. And he told an anti-abortion rights group that it would be a "a great idea" to appoint a "pro-life" health commissioner. NEW POLLING: With three weeks until Election Day, Zeldin has tightened the gap between he and Hochul to 11 points, according to a new survey out today from Siena College Research Institute. That's compared to the 17-point lead Hochul had last month. But, according to Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg, "the good news for Zeldin is that he's further solidified his Republican support, 81 percent - 12 percent, up from 77 percent - 17 percent, and has increased his lead among independents from three points to nine points, 49 percent - 40 percent. 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? Signing domestic violence legislation in Manhattan. WHERE'S ERIC? Signing small business legislation. QUOTE OF THE DAY — "Everybody that knows me knows one thing, I hate rats. When we started killing them in Borough Hall, some of the same folks criticizing us now called me a murderer because I was killing rats. Well you know what, we're gonna kill rats." — New York City Mayor Eric Adams, rolling out his garbage pickup plan with a callback to his most famous press conference as Brooklyn borough president
| | | | A message from Equinor: Can a wind turbine generate more than electricity? Yes, it can. At Equinor, our work to power 2,000,000 New York homes with homegrown, renewable energy is only part of the story. The Empire Wind and Beacon Wind projects are also boosting the economy, generating jobs, and launching tomorrow's clean energy infrastructure today. Equinor is a broad energy company, committed to become net-zero by 2050. We're proud to be a leader in this growing industry. | | | |  | What City Hall's reading | | "' A NIMBY City Hall': Adams Appointees Thwart Key Bike and Bus Projects ," by Streetsblog's Jesse Coburn: "As the city seeks to redesign its streets to better serve transit riders, pedestrians and cyclists, interference is emerging from an unlikely place: City Hall itself. And one division of City Hall in particular. The Mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs has become a frequent impediment to new street improvements in the first year of Mayor Adams's tenure, stalling new bus lanes and bike and pedestrian infrastructure at the behest of the mayor's political allies or other critics of such projects, according to interviews with six current and former city officials, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the matter. 'This is more of a NIMBY City Hall,' said one official, using an acronym for 'not in my backyard' that characterizes the attitude of those opposed to changes to their streets and neighborhoods. 'Any NIMBY is empowered in this administration.'" " Rikers Staff Tampered With Records, Hiding Intake Rule Violations, Documents Show ," by New York Focus's Chris Gelardi: "New York City's Rikers Island jail complex has skirted time limits on holding people in temporary intake pens by tampering with records, documents shared with New York Focus show. Under city regulations, the jail system must process and house people within 24 hours of them coming under its custody — a requirement set to ensure that they don't languish in intake cells, which have no accessible bathrooms or beds and are notorious for cramped, squalid conditions. But an email and attachment from a jail oversight agency official show that, during a two-day period in June, staff at Rikers Island's main intake facility manipulated electronic records to push back the initial in-custody times for at least 17 new arrivals to the jail complex." " NYC Chief Technology Officer Matt Fraser has NYPD security detail, sources say. Team Adams disputes it ," by New York Daily News' Michael Gartland and Graham Rayman : "Mayor Adams' chief tech honcho is being squired around town by an NYPD security detail — prompting political and law enforcement observers to question why he needs one and why taxpayers are footing the bill for it. Chief Technology Officer Matt Fraser is protected by at least two NYPD detectives — Steve Gordon and Victor Robalino, according to three sources familiar with the situation who spoke to the Daily News under the condition of anonymity. One of the sources who confirmed the existence of Fraser's detail and spoke anonymously out of fear of retribution pointed out that there's no precedent for someone in his post to be provided with a protective unit."
| | | | NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, the sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don't miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID . | | | | | | | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | " Most N.Y. elementary schoolchildren can't access bivalent booster despite FDA approval ," by Times Union's Rachel Silberstein : "More than half of New York elementary school students are ineligible for the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, which is designed to target both the original coronavirus strains and newer omicron variants, data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration approved the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent shot for children ages 5-11 and a Moderna version for ages 6 and up last week, but the eligibility requirements exclude anyone who has not completed the initial vaccine series at least two months ago — and only 42.5 percent of New York children ages 5-11 have had the earlier vaccines, according to CDC figures." " Rep. Lee Zeldin downplays support from Trump as texts reveal his proximity to election denial push, " by New York Daily News' Denis Slattery: "Lee Zeldin downplayed an endorsement from former President Donald Trump on Monday as texts emerged showing the Long Island congressman was in touch with the former president's team amid efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The Republican gubernatorial candidate, one of 147 House Republicans who voted against certifying President Biden's electoral win, said the support from Trump came as no surprise. 'It shouldn't have been news,' Zeldin said following a press conference in the Bronx. 'He supported me before this weekend.''" " Overdose deaths continue to rise in New York ," by Spectrum's Nick Reisman: "Overdose deaths in New York state rose 14% in 2021 compared to the previous year, a report released Monday by the state Department of Health found. The data released as part of a quarterly update from public health officials on opioid usage and deaths in the state comes as New York has continued to grapple with a sharp rise in overdose fatalities in recent years. The increase has coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also found a 2% rise in hospitalizations due to opioid overdoses and a 7% rise in opioid overdoses that do not involve heroin. Overdose deaths are also on the rise across the country as fentanyl usage has spread." " New York Apple Growers Fume Over Overtime Rules ," by Wall Street Journal's Jimmy Vielkind: "Golden Harvest Farms has grown from a small apple-growing operation when Doug Grout's grandfather opened it after World War II, to a multipronged business that includes a retail stand, cider press, distillery, tasting room and barbecue restaurant. But Mr. Grout said he sees a cloudier future for the business due to new state regulations that will require him to increasingly pay more overtime to the farmworkers who pick his apples in the coming years, raising one of his primary costs. 'We were looking to buy another orchard, and that whole thing is tabled,' said Mr. Grout, 52 years old, who co-owns Golden Harvest with his father, as he drove between rows of Honeycrisp trees. 'We're stepping away. You're going to see farms go out of business. This is very shortsighted.'" " Kathy Hochul sits on bill tightening oversight of taxpayer dollars amid alleged pay-to-play ," by New York Post's Zach Williams: "Kathy Hochul is sitting on legislation that would limit how she can leverage public dollars for her own political benefit – despite the ongoing concerns about alleged pay-to-play schemes with donors to her campaign for governor. 'Our oversight should be restored — and the sooner the better,' Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said Monday about getting Hochul's signature onto a bill passed in June that would require his office to sign off on billions more in spending each year." #UpstateAmerica: Albany's inaugural sled hockey tournament is slated for this weekend.
| | | | A message from Equinor: The energy transition is the defining challenge opportunity of our time. Our world needs energy to keep moving forward — but it must be affordable, reliable, and accessible. We all have a role to play. At Equinor, we're doing our part by helping accelerate the energy transition. We're growing our renewable energy portfolio and lowering emissions from production. We're already on the way to powering about 2,000,000 New York homes with energy from the Empire Wind and Beacon Wind offshore wind projects. We're creating jobs, building tomorrow's infrastructure, and sparking new economic activity. But for us, that's only the beginning. By the time the global population reaches 9 billion in 2050, our goal is to have net-zero emissions. Discover more about Equinor at www.equinor.com/USA. | | | | | CAMPAIGN MODE | | Attorney General Tish James is releasing the first ad of her reelection campaign today, three weeks out from Election Day and as new polling suggests her lead over her Republican opponent Michael Henry has narrowed slightly to 51 percent - 40 percent, compared to 53-37 last month. The ad looks to highlight what she views as her key accomplishments: fighting to get illegal guns off the streets, battling for abortion rights and "standing up to corrupt politicians." She doesn't mention Donald Trump by name, but a line in the ad — "no one is above the law" — came from her press conference announcing her lawsuit against the former president and the Trump Organization last month. " CD10 nominee Dan Goldman launches PAC to assist Democrats in tight races 3 weeks before primary ," by PoliticsNY's Ethan Stark-Miller: "Three weeks ahead of the Nov. 8 general election, 10th Congressional District Democratic Nominee Dan Goldman is launching a PAC focussed on giving a cash boost to Democrats running in competitive congressional races, primarily in New York, to defend the party's House majority. The so-called Democracy Action Now PAC has a goal of raising $100,000 by the end of October, according to campaign spokesperson Simone Kanter. However, Goldman – a wealthy heir to the Levi Strauss & Co. fortune, who served as lead counsel in ex-President Donald Trump's first impeachment – won't be putting any of his own money into the PAC, Kanter added." " Senator and Congressman denounce Assemblyman Schmitt's Twitter posts ," by Mid-Hudson News: "New York State Senator James Skoufis (D-Cornwall) has taken issue with tweets made by Assemblyman Colin Schmitt (R-New Windsor) that were made several years ago. Schmitt is currently running for Congress against Congressman Pat Ryan (D, NY-19) for the newly drawn 18th Congressional District. One of Schmitt's posts on Twitter, made in 2009 when Schmitt was a student at Catholic University in Washington DC, drew sharp criticism from Skoufis. The Tweet by Assemblyman Schmitt said 'I know a lot of Tweets but…gorgeous preppy, girl standing across from me on the metro. WOW. Only Republicans can look that good.'"
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — The carriage horse whose collapse on a Manhattan street set off a new debate this summer over whether to ban the industry has died . — A man was pushed to his death in front of a subway train at a Queens station. — Mayor Eric Adams' tax returns suggest he already owned cryptocurrency before having his mayoral paychecks converted to Bitcoin. — Collisions between buses and e-bikes and scooters have surged . — Kevin Spacey took the stand in his civil sex abuse trial and testified that his father was a neo-Nazi. — A Republican commissioner on the New York City Board of Elections questioned why the agency sent mailers to voters with information about ... the upcoming election, warning the mailers could drive up voter turnout locally and hurt his party. — A city agency has agreed to pay $775,000 to settle a lawsuit over allegations of racial discrimination in its distribution of overtime.
| | | | 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 . | | | | | | | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NYT's Annie Karni … Puck's Julia Ioffe … Brunswick Group's Michael Krempasky … Edelman's Trisch Smith … Jon Decker … Kiki Reginato … Walt Disney Co.'s Caitlin Conant … Austin Schindel … Memmi Rasmussen MEDIAWATCH — Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is launching a weekly podcast on the Quake Media network called "As a Matter of Fact… with Andrew Cuomo." His first guest is Anthony Scaramucci. … Kevin Duggan is now a reporter at Streetsblog. He previously covered transit for amNewYork. … Sujeet Indap will be the Wall Street editor for the Financial Times. He has been a column editor at the paper. MAKING MOVES — Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will be a visiting scholar at NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service starting in January. He's actively doing a stint at Harvard, after dropping his campaign for Congress. … Anthony Reyes is now VP of communications at WME. He most recently was president of strategic comms firm Tonycom and is an Obama Treasury and MSNBC alum. … Riccardo Reati, founder of dgSherpa.com and a Zurich Insurance alum, has started as an adviser on transformation, product strategy and business development for Convr, a leading artificial intelligence company that helps commercial insurance companies transform underwriting. OUT AND ABOUT — SPOTTED at a book party Monday night for Margaret Sullivan's new book "Newsroom Confidential: Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-Stained Life" ( $26.49 ) at the penthouse home of Neil Barsky overlooking Central Park: Molly Jong-Fast, Sarah Ellison, Lydia Polgreen, Arthur Sulzberger, Nicholas Lemann, Susan Chira, Tali Farhadian-Weinstein, Dafna Linzer and Bart Gellman, Jonathan Alter and Jonah Bromwich. — SPOTTED at Foreign Policy editor-in-chief's Ravi Agrawal's 40th birthday party on Saturday night at West Village restaurant Bobo: Fareed Zakaria, Ian Bremmer, Anand Giridharadas and Priya Parker, Howard French, Amelia Lester, Andrew Sollinger and Pakistani singer Ali Sethi.
| | Real Estate | | " With the Massive Bronx Building Still Vacant, Officials are Again Asking: What's the Future of the Kingsbridge Armory? " by Gotham Gazette's Samar Khurshid: "The Kingsbridge Armory, the largest of its kind in the world at 520,000 square-feet, has sat vacant for more than three decades as plans to redevelop the structure have repeatedly failed. But the city is undertaking yet another attempt to reenvision the armory for modern use, and local lawmakers are optimistic that this time they will succeed. Built in 1917 for the New York National Guard, the armory had been used for myriad purposes until it was decommissioned in 1991 and then given over to the city in 1996. But the armory, occupying an entire city block between Jerome Avenue and Reservoir Avenue in the Kingsbridge neighborhood of the Bronx, is a complicated site to redevelop." " Where Are the Free Housing Attorneys NYC Promised to Tenants Facing Eviction? " by Hell Gate's Max Parrot: "In 2021, when Bill de Blasio signed a bill expanding the City's successful program offering free legal representation to low-income tenants in housing court to the entire city, he thought he was advancing one of his most favorably viewed policies—and a year ahead of schedule. 'This game-changing program has yielded staggering results–protecting families from harassment and providing legal services to all tenants facing eviction, cementing its status as a national model for increasing housing stability and preventing homelessness,' the former mayor said in November of last year. But today, the program, known colloquially as right to counsel, is failing to provide much-needed legal representation to thousands of qualifying tenants with cases in housing court, the result of a predictable confluence of factors." " The Billionaire Behind New York's Most Luxe Hotel ," by Curbed's Chris Pomorski: "To a degree unusual even by the standards of Manhattan development, the opening of Aman New York — perhaps the most anticipated new hotel here in the last quarter-century — has been shadowed by scandal, discord, and death. The project, led by the Soviet-born billionaire Vladislav Doronin, is the first outpost in the city of Aman Resorts. Based in Switzerland, with properties in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and the western U.S., Aman has long occupied the zenith of luxury travel, offering sui generis experiences in exotic, secluded locales: coastal Vietnam, the mountains of Bhutan, Moroccan olive groves, the pinewoods of southwestern Turkey. With nightly rates that can exceed $4,000, the resorts are principally characterized by an otherworldly beauty that arises from pairing unsullied landscapes with exquisite minimalist design." | | | | 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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