| | | | |  | | By Erin Durkin and Anna Gronewold | The Brooklyn takeover of Democratic congressional leadership is complete. House Democrats unanimously elected Rep. Hakeem Jeffries as minority leader. Jeffries' elevation was remarkably drama-free — a bit off brand for Democrats — and in stark contrast to the dissension on the Republican side after they won a slim House majority. "House Democrats will lift up working families, the middle class and those who aspire to be part of it, young people and senior citizens, veterans, the poor, the sick and the afflicted and the least, the lost and the left behind," Jeffries said. "We will look for common ground with Republicans whenever and wherever possible, but oppose extremism on the other side of the aisle whenever necessary." Jeffries made it look easy, but his election with no challengers took years of work behind the scenes, POLITICO's Sarah Ferris and Nicholas Wu report . Conservative Democrats and the progressive Squad alike fell in line, though Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez did remark that she would have liked to see more debate. "The race was over before anyone else knew what was happening," one senior Democrat said. Jeffries' power will be limited as head of the minority party, but Democrats are hoping that won't be for long. At the closed door meeting where they elected their leadership, Rep. Greg Meeks brought lawmakers to their feet with a rousing speech in which he vowed Jeffries would be speaker in 2024. IT'S THURSDAY. 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 the New York Housing Conference annual awards program. WHERE'S ERIC? In tours and meetings and speaking at the 2022 Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism in Athens, Greece.
| | | | POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP . | | | | | |  | WHAT CITY HALL IS READING | | " On City Streets, Fear and Hope as Mayor Pushes to Remove Mentally Ill ," by The New York Times' Sarah Maslin Nir: "It was after dark on Tuesday in Washington Square Park in Manhattan, when Meeka Brown, 48, learned that Mayor Eric Adams had announced a citywide push for authorities to remove people with severe, untreated mental illness from New York's streets and subways — even against their will, and even if they are not a threat to others. 'I'm one,' said Ms. Brown, who said she is schizophrenic and also suffers from a psychotic disorder." — The NYPD was "blindsided" by the announcement. — "Experts in mental illness, homelessness and policing expressed skepticism that the plan could effectively solve a crisis that has confounded city leaders for decades." " NYC's Eric Adams, at mayors' meeting in Greece, says antisemitism has become normalized ," by Jewish Telegraphic Agency's Jacob Henry: "Likening the growing threat of antisemitism to a frog that's slowly boiled alive, New York City Mayor Eric Adams spoke about the dangers of hate during his speech at the Mayor's Summit Against Antisemitism in Athens, Greece. The two-day summit, which began Wednesday, is a gathering of more than 50 mayors and municipal leaders from across the globe." MTA faces $600 million deficit as federal Covid relief dries up , by POLITICO's Danielle Muoio Dunn: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is in financial trouble — again. MTA officials said Wednesday they're facing a $600 million deficit in 2023 because of the severe drop in riders during the pandemic. The agency used to derive close to 40 percent of its operating budget from fare revenue, but as more New Yorkers work from home during the pandemic, it has become reliant on $15 billion in emergency federal aid to help pay for operations. Ridership across the system has grown recently, but is only 63 percent of 2019 levels. " 17 Public Employees Charged in Schemes to Steal Covid Relief Funds ," by The New York Times' Benjamin Weiser, Chelsia Rose Marcius and Jan Ransom: "A New York City correction official, eight Police Department employees and eight other current and former city and state workers have been charged in schemes to defraud Covid relief programs that were intended to provide money to struggling business owners, the authorities said on Wednesday. The defendants submitted phony applications for disaster relief loans on behalf of hair and nail salons and day care programs that did not exist, federal prosecutors in Manhattan said." " Mayor Adams opens 8 new resource centers for asylum seekers backed by $2.1M grant ," by amNewYork's Ethan Stark-Miller: "While Mayor Eric Adams may have declared over a month ago that the tide of asylum seekers flowing into the city since the spring had slowed considerably, his administration announced the opening of eight new so-called Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation sites across the city Wednesday afternoon. The city chose eight community-based organizations to run the sites and granted them a total of $2.1 million — spread across the groups — to support their operations, according to a release from City Hall."
| | WHAT ALBANY'S READING | | " NY Thruway plans toll hike ," USA Today Network's Peter D. Kramer: "The New York State Thruway Authority on Monday will consider two system-wide 5% toll hikes and raising the toll on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge 50 cents a year for four years — from its current $5.75 to $7.75 in 2027. If approved, the new tolls would take effect Jan. 1, 2024. It would be the first toll hike for NY E-ZPass customers since 2010, since before the twin-span Cuomo Bridge replaced the Tappan Zee Bridge between Westchester and Rockland counties and introduced Thruway drivers to the world of cashless tolling." " Hand recount ongoing in uncalled race for New York's 50th Senate seat ," by Spectrum News Staff: "Election Day may have been weeks ago, but the race for New York's 50th Senate District is still without a declared winner in Central New York. The Onondaga County Board of Elections said Wednesday it has hand-counted nearly 14,000 of 90,000 ballots in the race after the initial count ended with Democratic Sen. John Mannion leading Republican challenger Rebecca Shiroff by just 27 votes. The close margin prompted an automatic recount by hand. Results between Mannion and Shiroff will also be hand-counted in Oswego County." " New data shows Nassau County Police are disproportionately arresting people of color ," by WNYC's Charles Lane: "[Police Commissioner Patrick] Ryder said even though Black and Hispanic people make up 29% of Nassau County's population, they make up 60% of the department's arrests. Ryder said the reason for the imbalance is that people of color are traveling across county lines from the city, stealing merchandise from Long Island malls — and getting caught. … However, the department's data shows greater disparities that Ryder did not explain." " Demand for food and cash assistance in New York at highest levels in years ," by Times Union's Emilie Munson: "Experts said the rising need is likely fueled by inflation, effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and workforce, and the winding down of many pandemic-assistance programs that helped keep some people fed and housed over the past two years. 'The number of people coming in to apply for benefits (this fall) is astronomical,' said Albany County Department of Social Services Commissioner Michele McClave. 'Not all are eligible, but they feel a need.' Some 536,019 New Yorkers received temporary cash assistance in September, a level higher than any month since March 2018, according to the latest data from the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance." " The Private Equity 'Black Box' Pours New York Pensions Touting Divestment Into Fossil Fuels ," by New York Focus' Lilah Burke: "In Cheshire, Ohio, the General James M. Gavin Power Plant dumps toxic coal ash into unlined 'storage ponds' that sit above the area's groundwater. Thick blue plumes of sulfuric acid rise up from the plant's smokestacks and occasionally settle over what's left of the town. The coal-burning plant, a project of the 1970s, has outlasted most of Cheshire itself. ... Ten of the largest investors in the Gavin Power Plant are public pensions. Near the top of the list is the New York State Common Retirement Fund, a massive pension system administered in Albany by a recognized leader on climate action." ROB ORTT was reelected Senate minority leader, per a Wednesday evening statement. " Assembly prepared to vote against seating Brooklyn Republican over residency question ," by NY1's Zack Fink: "In an extremely rare move, the Democratic-led state Assembly is preparing to vote against seating the Republican winner of an Assembly race in Brooklyn, Lester Chang, because he may not have moved into the borough one year prior to the election as required by law. Earlier this month, Chang defeated longtime Democratic incumbent Peter Abbate in Southern Brooklyn's 49th District 52% to 47%." #UpstateAmerica: Watch out for an uncharacteristically aggressive otter chasing visitors at Albany's 6 Mile Waterworks Park.
| | | | GO INSIDE THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO is featuring a special edition of our "Future Pulse" newsletter at the 2022 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit from Dec. 6 to 8. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of health industry leaders and innovators solving the biggest global health issues to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE . | | | | | | | TRUMP'S NEW YORK | | " Verdict in Trump Organization Trial Could Come Down to 3 Little Words ," by The New York Times' Ben Protess, Jonah E. Bromwich and William K. Rashbaum: "Despite all the talk of fancy apartments, free Mercedes-Benzes and cash flowing at Christmastime, the criminal tax fraud trial of Donald J. Trump's family business could come down to three mundane words: 'in behalf of.' The company stands accused of doling out those off-the-books perks to several executives, who failed to pay taxes on them. The scheme's architect — the Trump Organization's longtime chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg — pleaded guilty and testified at trial. The company, however, is not automatically guilty of his crimes."
| | AROUND NEW YORK | | — NYPD Chief of Patrol Jeffrey Maddrey will be the acting chief of department . — NYU is spending $1 billion to upgrade its flagship engineering school in downtown Brooklyn. — Construction started on an electric transmission line from Canada to New York City. — Staff at two New York prisons have routinely been exposed to fentanyl while searching for contraband. — Saratoga Casino and Raceway is joining a real estate investment group , the Chickasaw Nation tribe, and an affiliate of the Yankees baseball team to vie for a NYC casino license. — Assemblymember David Weprin of Queens and Sen. Julia Salazar of Brooklyn have a plan to overturn the state policy keeping families from sending packages to incarcerated people. — The Brooklyn DA will not prosecute a lawyer arrested for criminal mischief for removing an intentional obstruction from a car's license plate.
| | SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Jen Psaki … JS Kim … Natalie Wyeth Earnest … NYT's Carlos Prieto … Yochi Dreazen … Charlie Anderson MAKING MOVES — Alyson Grant Tarek has joined Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration as an assistant secretary for human services and mental hygiene. She was formerly senior advisor in the Mayor's Office of State Legislative Affairs. … Lisa Stark, former news correspondent for ABC News and PBS; Saundra Torry, formerly of USA Today's editorial board and The Washington Post; and Adora Andy Jenkins, formerly of the Obama and Biden administrations, will join the executive communications team at SKDK as of-counsel advisers. FOR YOUR RADAR — @dlippman : "SCOOPLET: Global PR giant Edelman is pausing new hiring, limiting employee travel for non-client activities and firm-sponsored events and doing a 'strategic review of our workforce' because of 'current headwinds' in the economy, an Edelman spokesperson tells me." ENGAGED — Kyle Dropp, co-founder and president of Morning Consult, recently proposed to Jackie Dreier, founder and president of ArtsClub. He surprised her on a beach in the Florida Keys. The couple met at a birthday party in NYC. Pic SPOTTED on Wednesday night at a Mike Bloomberg party for Bono's new book "Surrender" ( $21.29 ) at Bloomberg Philanthropies in NYC where comedian Phoebe Robinson interviewed Bono: Chelsea Clinton, Tim Geithner, Kevin Sheekey, Tom Hart, Maureen Dowd, Gayle King, Radhika Jones, Howard Wolfson, Steve Rattner, Dina Powell McCormick, Tammy Haddad, Zenia Mucha, Shailagh Murray, Mike Feldman, Gary Ginsberg, Bill Knapp, Denyce Graves, Caryn Zucker, Katie Holmes, Kaitlan Collins, Don Lemon and Tim Malone, Matt Dornic, Betsy Fisher Martin and Jonathan Martin, Danny Strong, Len Amato, Rick and Mary Stengel, Robert Draper and Kirsten Powers, Rachel Greenberg, Lee Woodruff, Barbara Corcoran, Josh Tyrangiel and John Avalon. HOT JOB — "Do you have what it takes to do the impossible? A virulent vehemence for vermin? A background in urban planning, project management, or government? And most importantly, the drive, determination and killer instinct needed to fight the real enemy — New York City's relentless rat population? If so, your dream job awaits: New York's Citywide Director of Rodent Mitigation ." Qualifications include "Swashbuckling attitude, crafty humor, and general aura of badassery."
| | Real Estate | | " Judge strikes down Newburgh's 'good-cause' eviction law ," by Times Union's Lana Bellamy: "A judge has struck down Newburgh's local law prohibiting evictions under certain circumstances. A group of landlords filed suit against Newburgh, its city court, and the mayor for passing the law, known as 'good-cause eviction,' in February. The suit was filed within months after the city became the second in the state to pass such a measure. Albany was the first municipality in New York to pass such legislation, in July 2021." | | | | 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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