| | | | |  | | By Emily Ngo, Nick Reisman and Jeff Coltin | | Presented by |  | | | With Timmy Facciola
| 
“The governor should not be pressured into removing Eric Adams from being the mayor,” Rev. Al Sharpton said Saturday at the National Action Network HQ in Harlem. | Andres Kudacki/AP | New York Minute: The Rev. Al Sharpton tonight is hosting a star-studded 70th birthday party that doubles as the Triumph Awards show. Gladys Knight and Robert DeNiro are featured guests, but some of the side conversions will no doubt revolve around Mayor Eric Adams’ alleged corruption and political fate. NY STATE OF DENIAL: Adams has made it to Monday. The first sitting New York City mayor in modern history to be criminally indicted is clinging to office and the refrain that he can deliver for New Yorkers, whatever the forces trying to bring him down. “I’m not going to resign, I’m going to reign,” he told receptive parishioners at Emmanuel Presbyterian Reformed Church in the Bronx on Sunday, a portrait of defiance. Adams retreated to his safety zone at the pulpit of friendly churches in the days after his Friday arraignment on charges of fraud and bribery. He pleaded not guilty. But how much longer can he hold on with more shoes expected to drop? The mayor was granted a bit of breathing room by Sharpton, no stranger to the power of a sermon and the influence of churchgoers. “The governor should not be pressured into removing Eric Adams from being the mayor,” the civil rights leader said Saturday at the National Action Network HQ in Harlem. “There is no precedent for that,” Sharpton said. “We just had a U.S. senator, Menendez, indicted. … He was not forced to resign until he was convicted.” It is Black leaders who could ultimately determine whether Adams stays or goes: Sharpton, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Attorney General Tish James and state Assemblymember and Brooklyn Democratic Party chair Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, among others. Any decision to unite against Adams would be hastened if others in his inner circle resign or are raided or charged. What will happen to his shadowy top adviser and friend of 30 years, Tim Pearson? Read POLITICO’s bombshell investigation into how Pearson — who is ensnared in multiple investigations — sought to hook up the Remark Holdings AI firm with the Adams administration and what Dr. Mehmet Oz, Brett Ratner and Mike Tyson have to do with the sordid affair. What will happen to his showy chief adviser and friend of 40 years, Ingrid Lewis-Martin? Read POLITICO’s story on how federal and state officers stopped Lewis-Martin at JFK Airport after her vacation and seized her phone — and how she discussed it all shortly afterward on her attorney Arthur Aidala’s radio show. “We have not done anything illegal to the magnitude or scale that requires the federal government and the DA’s office to investigate us,” she said, raising questions about how illegal is too illegal. What will happen to his First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright? And what will happen to New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda? Playbook is keeping a close eye on this host of characters, an eventual Sharpton-led gathering to discuss Adams and the mayor’s Wednesday court date. — Emily Ngo IT’S MONDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
| | | | A message from Uber: New York City Uber riders pay $700 Million in taxes and fees annually* That’s more than the entire budget for New York City Parks Department. *Based on trips originating from NYC in 2023. Learn more. | | | WHERE’S KATHY? Delivering remarks at an MTA event in the morning and announcing state plans for potential East Coast port disruptions. WHERE’S ERIC? In New York City meeting with senior administration officials. delivering remarks at DSNY's graduation and promotion, then making a public safety and infrastructure-related announcement and delivering remarks at Queens Evening of Faith. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "So you want your mayor in coach, huh?… New York City needs me in first class.” — comedian Devon Walker, portraying Adams and discussing alleged travel perks in exchange for favors to Turkish officials on “Saturday Night Live.”
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | | 
Tim Pearson had a close personal relationship with the consultant for the company — think Valentine’s Day notes and travel together. | Arturo Holmes/Getty Images | REMARK-ABLE LOBBYING EFFORT: An AI company looking for a city contract found an ally in Tim Pearson — the mayor’s longtime friend and adviser who’s ensnared in multiple investigations. Pearson insisted that FDNY officials meet with Las Vegas-based Remark Holdings at least four times earlier this year. The pitch, in part, was to replace fireguards with AI-powered technology. While he was pushing Remark, Pearson had a close personal relationship with a consultant who worked for the firm — think Valentine’s Day notes and travel together. That consultant LaTrisha Nikki Winston has since deleted her social media accounts and hired a criminal defense attorney. The fire department was unimpressed with the pitch and didn’t hire Remark, but Pearson went ahead and set up a pilot program of the technology in a migrant shelter. POLITICO’s Joe Anuta, Sally Goldenberg and Maya Kaufman have way more in a new story that’s the result of a monthslong reporting effort. It’s a revealing look at how Pearson is involved with the inner workings of public safety agencies and firms looking to secure contracts with them. — Jeff Coltin
| | CITY HALL: THE LATEST | | | | 
With the going getting tough, the first deputy mayor got going — to Martha's Vineyard. | Caroline Willis/Mayoral Photo Office via Flickr.com | LOVE IN A HOPELESS PLACE: First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and outgoing schools chancellor David Banks got married Saturday on Martha’s Vineyard — just weeks after federal investigators came to their home and seized their phones. The longtime couple has been engaged for nearly two years, but the timing of the intimate ceremony is fueling speculation the power players would seek spousal privilege — meaning they couldn’t be compelled to testify against each other in criminal proceedings, POLITICO’s Madina Touré reports. At the very least, it’s an official commitment to stick together at a rocky time. Banks himself told superintendents in a private call last week he had doubts Adams would be able to stay in office. — Jeff Coltin PREACHING AGAINST ADAMS: State Sen. Zellnor Myrie has been campaigning for mayor at predominantly Black churches, looking to shore up support among the communities that Adams sees as deeply loyal to him, even after the five-count federal indictment alleging he is corrupt. Myrie — so far the only Black Democrat challenging Adams’ reelection next year — made pointed remarks urging churchgoers against siding with politicians like Adams out of loyalty, though he was pretty much talking about Adams. “They come to our churches, they shake our hands, they walk in our parades. But when it comes time to heal our suffering... our leaders remain silent,” Myrie told the congregation of Bedford Central Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn. “So church, I urge you in our considerations of who our leaders will be. Do not let anyone use you.” Adams spoke at churches in Queens Saturday and in Brooklyn Sunday. Myrie, a Brooklyn Dem, seeks to set himself apart from the field of 2025 challengers urging the mayor to resign. — Emily Ngo BEEP 4 BEEP: Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso opted out of running for comptroller — and is officially backing Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine for the job instead. Reynoso’s headlining a Downtown Brooklyn fundraiser for his old council colleague’s campaign tonight, per an invite from Levine’s campaign. Reynoso confirmed and said he’s endorsing. Levine’s path to victory includes winning the Latino vote, though the shape of the race is still in flux, given the fallout from Adams’ indictment. — Jeff Coltin More from the city: — The New York Post helped elect the mayor and they haven’t given up on him yet. (New York magazine) — Some Jewish voters are ready to rally around Andrew Cuomo if he runs for mayor. (New York Post) — Adams is in deep trouble, and four of our POLITICO colleagues had a conversation about how we got here. (POLITICO)
| | | | A message from Uber:   | | | | | NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY | | |  New York Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs, a former Cuomo ally, doesn’t expect broader blowback if the once-powerful Democrat enters the mayoral race. | AP Photo/Mary Altaffer | CUO-WORRIES: New York Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs is not sweating a potential New York City mayoral bid by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The former governor brings considerable political baggage to any campaign — including sexual harassment and nursing home scandals. He’s denied any wrongdoing. But Jacobs, a former Cuomo ally, doesn’t expect broader blowback if the once-powerful Democrat enters the mayoral race. “I’m not going to pre-judge it and I’m not going to worry about it in advance,” Jacobs said. “My guess is whatever former Gov. Cuomo chooses to do, he’ll have to deal with those issues. I don’t see how that becomes anybody else's matter.” Cuomo has been weighing a bid for mayor as Adams’ legal troubles have worsened over the last year. People who have spoken with the former governor expect he will jump into the race for mayor — especially if there is a vacancy created by either Adams’ resignation or if Hochul uses her office’s power to force him out of the race. The governor, however, is not expected to do so. Jacobs, who has been loyal to Hochul, believes she’s been handling the delicate situation “exactly right.” “The safety and steady management of the city is paramount,” he said. “She respects the American concept of due process. She’s balanced it all very well and she's kept a close eye on it.” — Nick Reisman BIZ COUNCIL BACKING: The state’s biggest private sector lobby organization is sticking with the Legislature’s powerful legislative leaders — and a handful of key incumbents. The Business Council of New York’s political action committee has endorsed the top legislative leaders in the state Senate and Assembly, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker Carl Heastie. The group also endorsed Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt and Assembly GOP leader Will Barclay. All four lawmakers face a glide path to reelection in November. But it’s a sign of how the Business Council wants to maintain its alliances in the Legislature. The group’s PAC has also endorsed Sens. James Skoufis and Shelley Mayer, two Democrats who chair influential committees overseeing corporations and school spending. “As New York businesses continue to face economic challenges, we need governmental leaders who are committed to working with the business community,” Business Council President and CEO Heather Briccetti said. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Brooklyn Sen. Andrew Gounardes, who has called on the mayor to step down, was Adams’ general counsel during many of the foreign trips and perks listed under the indictment. (New York Post) — The state’s ban on body armor does not violate the constitutional right to own a gun, an attorney for Monroe County argued in federal court. (WXXI News) — Hochul is considering legislation that’s meant to tackle rural suicides. (Spectrum News)
| | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | — Rep. Anthony D'Esposito nepotism controversy highlights a fact of political life, experts say. (Newsday) — The races between Rep. Mike Lawler and Mondaire Jones and Rep. Marc Molinaro and Josh Riley caught the attention of far-right billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. (City & State) — Donald Trump’s warning to Jewish voters is now a flashpoint in the tight Lawler-Jones race. (The Forward)
| | NEW YORK STATE OF MIND | | — The next mayor of Buffalo is going to be faced with a series of fiscal problems. (Buffalo News) — New York donors are the second-largest source of presidential campaign contributions. (Times Union)
| | | | A message from Uber: Ever thought about what it’s like to drive for Uber in New York?
Uber Drivers earn $32 per hour.* And that’s before incentives and tips
They also get benefits including dental insurance, vision coverage, mental health support, and workers’ compensation through the Black Car Fund and Driver Benefits Fund.
*Average earnings per online hour from January - July 2024 based on trips originating from NYC
Learn more. | | | | | SOCIAL DATA | | Edited by Daniel Lippman MAKING MOVES: Maria Comella, ex–Cuomo chief and Christie aide, is consulting the Harris presidential campaign on reaching Republicans and independents. (Washington Post) ENGAGED: Akela Lacy, senior politics reporter at The Intercept and a POLITICO alum, on Friday got engaged to Steven Szafara. The couple met in middle school outside of Philly (they went to different schools but met through sports and dances) and reconnected through a mutual friend’s engagement in 2019 when they were both in the wedding party. He proposed during a walk on the beach in Cape May Point, New Jersey, with their dog. Pic OUT AND ABOUT: I am a voter, a project of HeadCount and in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation and MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” unveiled the first-ever Democracy Heroes List at The Rockefeller Foundation in New York on Friday. The list honors industry leaders working to engage marginalized voters. Spotted at the event were: Mandana Dayani, Jessica Alba, Julianne Hough, Busy Philipps, Chloë Grace Moretz, Huma Abedin, Ariana DeBose, Symone Sanders Townsend, Rashida Jones, Debra Messing and Samantha Barry. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: POLITICO’s Sally Goldenberg … Secretary of State Walter Mosley … Wilfredo Florentino … Lemma Strategies’ Facia Class … Hildy Kuryk … Greg Mecher of FTI Consulting … Edelman’s Emily Lippard … Craig Minassian of the Clinton Foundation and Minassian Media … Courtney Sanders Felts of the U.S. Chamber … WSJ’s Steve Russolillo … JJ Mitchell … Adie Mitchell … Charlotte Ross … Hillary Dolinsky … Anastasia Goodstein … … (WAS SUNDAY): Melissa DeRosa … Jason Laidley … Ashley Meza … John Sexton … Liz Sidoti … Will Saletan … POLITICO’s Ryan Hutchins … The Bronx Times’ Bob Kapstatter … Sandra Sobieraj Westfall … Lisa Osborne Ross … Marisa Salemme of Senate Finance Dems … CBS’ Tory Coughlan … Apple News’ Marissa Martinez … Business Insider’s Oma Seddiq … NBC’s Emma Barnett … Ryann DuRant of Senate Banking … … (WAS SATURDAY): NY Dems boss Jay Jacobs … Adams adviser Diane Savino … Adams counsel Ama Dwimoh … Simon Winchester … Scott Mulhauser of Bully Pulpit Interactive … Steve Schmidt … Puck’s Abby Livingston … Ben Greenman ... David Hopen … Stephanie Blumenthal … Jeff Barnard … Joanna Brenner … (WAS FRIDAY): Rebecca Blumenstein ... Stephen J. Landes ... Ralph Toledano ... Jeffrey M. Lacker ... Marc Maron Missed Friday’s New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here. | | | | 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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