| | | | |  | | By Emily Ngo, Jeff Coltin and Nick Reisman | | Presented by |  | | | With Timmy Facciola
| |  John Avlon’s rival, Nick LaLota, has attacked him over his Manhattan residence. | Spencer Platt/Getty Images | The age-old tactic of attacking a political opponent as a carpetbagger and the newer Trump-era approach of slapping them with a nickname are being combined to full effect in New York’s battleground House races. And debates marking the final stretch before Election Day are the latest setting for swipes over residency. Take the race between Rep. Nick LaLota and John Avlon on Long Island. LaLota slams his challenger as “Avlon (D-Manhattan)” in writing and frequently references how the former CNN host claimed his posh New York City apartment as his primary residence on recent tax forms. The GOP freshman on Monday night held up a New York City Department of Finance document to make his point at a very contentious League of Women Voters debate. “He says ‘in’ Long Island,” LaLota had said at an earlier Newsday debate of a phrase offensive to locals who say “on” Long Island. Avlon says he’s called NY-01’s Sag Harbor home for years, taking the census there and voting there. The Democrat has responded that LaLota never fulfilled his promise to move into the confines of the district. The House member lives in Amityville, which is in NY-02. “Only one of us on this stage can actually vote in this election,” Avlon said at the Newsday faceoff. The Hudson Valley race between Rep. Pat Ryan and Alison Esposito is another example. Ryan’s campaign and the DCCC have both labeled Esposito as “Upper East Side Alison,” seeking to connect the former NYPD deputy inspector to her city home. The Republican Esposito spent her childhood in the Hudson Valley and has had a house in NY-18’s Goshen for decades, but registered to vote there only last year. Farther upstate, in NY-19, Rep. Marc Molinaro has attacked the Democrat opponent he’s locked in a rematch with as “DC Insider Josh Riley.” The nickname is aimed at Riley’s years working as a Senate counsel in Washington. Riley, who was raised inside the district in Endicott, has sought to flip that script on the incumbent by disparaging him as a “career politician.” Molinaro was elected to local office as a teenager. Meanwhile, in the face-off between Rep. Mike Lawler and Mondaire Jones, where district-shopping looms larger than in other races, the attacks have been more muted. Jones, who grew up in Spring Valley in the NY-17 seat he seeks, was elected to Congress to represent the Hudson Valley in 2020, moved to Brooklyn to run in 2022 when he was pushed out by redistricting and returned north for this year’s race. Lawler does not often use Jones’ moves against him. But that’s not to say he never mentions them. As the bitter rivals sparred in a recent News 12 debate, Lawler sniped: “So maybe after this election’s over, you can go back to Brooklyn.” — Emily Ngo IT’S TUESDAY. 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? On Long Island for a health care and economic development announcement and the groundbreaking ceremony for the Station Yards Project and in Manhattan for a fireside chat with Axios. WHERE’S ERIC? Holding his weekly press conference at City Hall and speaking at a flag-raising for Kazakhstan at Bowling Green. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Defendant Trump falsely stated that plaintiffs killed an individual and pled guilty to the crime. These statements are demonstrably false.” — the exonerated members of the Central Park Five in a defamation lawsuit.
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | 
Council Speaker Adrienne Adams vehemently opposed the effort, calling it a power grab. | Emil Cohen/NYC Council Media Unit | CHARTER SCHOOLED: The New York City Council won the battle over the hated city agency request form when the Adams administration backed down on that front Monday. But the war over advice and consent will continue. Aides and allies to the mayor have discussed launching a charter revision commission next year, a move that would again stymie any council effort to grow its power over agency head appointments, POLITICO reports. The council passed a law this summer to expand its advice and consent power to 20 additional agency heads from two. That change to the charter had to be ratified by voters. But the mayor announced his own charter revision commission, which blocked the council’s proposal from the ballot, per state statute. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams vehemently opposed the effort, calling it a power grab designed to nullify the council’s legislation. She accused the mayor of wanting to be “a king.” Now, that recent history appears to be on the verge of repeating itself. Speaker Adams announced plans Monday, previously reported by Gothamist, to introduce legislation establishing a charter revision commission next year for the purpose of increasing transparency in government. Yet absent any curveballs like a special election, the mayor could easily undermine both the advice and consent bill and the speaker’s broader charter commission plan. “If the mayor convened a commission that placed a question on the November 2025 ballot, then advice and consent could not appear,” said Louis Cholden-Brown, a former City Council attorney who once staffed a charter revision commission. “In that scenario, the commission proposed by Speaker Adams would similarly not be able to place proposals on the ballot.” Speaker Adams doesn’t want to see that happen. “It is crucial to prevent this anomaly from becoming a new baseline that normalizes attacks to weaken our local democracy,” she said in a statement. — Jeff Coltin
| | CITY HALL: THE LATEST | | |  The raid of Ingrid Lewis-Martin’s home? First reported by the Eric Adams Crime Family X account. Same for the Department of Education getting subpoenaed. | Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office | ‘FAMILY’ AFFAIR: Eric Adams Crime Family is no more. The anonymous X account that lit up social media feeds and private text threads by posting NYC political gossip and scoops before they were reported in the news was abruptly deleted over the weekend. “How are we supposed to know what’s happening at City Hall now?” quipped one state legislator. Following the account, which used the handle @TownTopics2024, was somewhat of a guilty pleasure — the information was sometimes incorrect and it was rarely sourced. But it was right enough of the time that political players looked to it as a source of news – or at least gossip – amid the past two months of subpoenas, resignations and criminal charges. The raid of Ingrid Lewis-Martin’s home? First reported by the account. Same for the city Education Department getting subpoenaed. Other posts may be lost to time unless the user brings the account back. Crime Family did not agree to an interview with Playbook before the account was deleted. “That account was required reading,” Post reporter Susan Edelman said on X , “always one step ahead of the news.” — Jeff Coltin FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: A prominent poverty-fighting organization is lending a hand to a parent-led coalition that’s been a thorn in Adams’ side. Robin Hood made a 12-month, $200,000 grant to New Yorkers United for Child Care in April, NYUCC will announce today. The nonprofit plans to use that money for initiatives, hiring an organizer and hosting and paying for child care at events. “This grant will ensure that even more parents and would-be parents can join the fight to ensure all New Yorkers have access to free, universal child care,” executive director Rebecca Bailin said. Over the last year, the organization raised $530,000, including $80,000 in grassroots donations from supporters like parents and $250,000 from foundations. When Mayor Adams planned cuts to preschool education, New Yorkers United for Child Care organized against it. Amid threats to his reelection efforts over the proposed cuts, Adams ultimately invested more money for preschool seats. The mayor has also teamed up with Robin Hood for initiatives. Its CEO Rich Buery — who served on his transition team — supported an Adams-aligned think tank’s recommendations to boost child care access. “As a city, we are falling short of equitable access to opportunity,” Jason Cone of Robin Hood said. — Madina Touré More from the city: — Challengers to City Council members Shahahana Hanif, Chris Marte, Pierina Sanchez and Shaun Abreu have put up big fundraising numbers already. (City & State) — Many applicants still face delays in receiving cash and food assistance, according to a new report from New York City’s Independent Budget Office. (Gothamist) — City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan stepped down Friday at a time when federal investigations became “political barriers” to exporting his initiatives beyond the five boroughs. (POLITICO Pro)
| | | | A message from Uber:   | | | | | NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY | | |  Democrats today will also tout more than 4 million voter contacts since July — a figure that includes door knocks, phone calls and text messages. | Hans Pennink/AP | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: New York Democrats will hold “golden day” events Saturday on college campuses across the state — the first day of early voting and the last day to register to vote, according to a state-of-the-campaign memo obtained by Playbook. Additional voter outreach is planned on college campuses over the next two weeks in a bid to mobilize young voters and voters of color ahead of the Nov. 5 election. It could be a competitive demographic for Democrats: The Trump campaign has signaled it’s making an aggressive play for young male voters. Democrats today will also tout more than 4 million voter contacts since July — a figure that includes door knocks, phone calls and text messages. In the last week alone, the state committee and labor allies have knocked on more than 130,000 doors. — Nick Reisman A TALE OF TWO POLLS: There’s good news and bad news for New York Democrats in a Siena College poll released this morning. On the plus side: Democrats are winning the generic ballot in the state, Vice President Kamala Harris has pulled away from ex-President Donald Trump in the race for the White House with a 19-point advantage, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand handily led her little-known Republican opponent Mike Sapraicone. But Gov. Kathy Hochul’s favorable rating and job approval continue to be stubbornly low and most voters — 51 percent — believe the state is on the wrong track. The survey of 872 likely voters statewide, released two weeks before Election Day, shows Hochul still has work to do with many New Yorkers before she seeks another term in 2026. Her favorable rating is at 36 percent, essentially no change from a Siena College poll last month. Trump’s favorable rating is virtually the same at 38 percent. A majority of voters, 51 percent, do not approve of the job Hochul is doing. Hochul’s team would rather focus on a survey released Monday by the political firm Slingshot Strategies. That poll of 900 New York City voters found her favorable rating at a positive 55 percent to 32 percent. Still, Republicans have seized on Hochul’s popularity struggles, and GOP candidates have linked the governor to their Democratic opponents. That hasn’t completely kept Hochul off the campaign trail. She’s raised money for Democratic county committees and has ramped up efforts for the passage of the proposed equality amendment. Hochul’s campaign did not comment. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Utility bills are going to be a mixed bag this winter. (Times Union) — Advocates worry the state has been slow to spend on intervention services. (Capitol Pressroom) — An offshore wind developer has withdrawn its bid for a renewable energy project. (POLITICO Pro)
| | | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | | | 
Rep. Mike Lawler’s campaign called the ad “complete and utter nonsense; more lies from a desperate dark money campaign” to aid his opponent, Mondaire Jones. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The Democratic-allied Americans for Contraception will unveil TV ads knocking three battleground House Republicans today. The group is putting $600,000 behind an effort that criticizes Reps. Anthony D’Esposito, Mike Lawler and Marc Molinaro over the Right to Contraception Act. The bill would bolster the right to contraception, including birth control pills, condoms and IUDs. The group, which is airing ads in battleground districts across the country, chides the lawmakers for not sponsoring the legislation. “It's time for our leaders to choose freedom over extremism and protect reproductive rights," said Chris Fleming, a spokesperson for the group. The ads are the latest reminder of how salient an issue reproductive rights have been for Democrats this election year. With five House seats in New York in play, Democrats have been ramping up efforts to blast GOP incumbents over it. Republicans have argued Democrats are politicizing the issue. Lawler’s campaign called the ad “complete and utter nonsense; more lies from a desperate dark money campaign” to aid his opponent, Mondaire Jones. “Not to mention, for $600,000, you would think they could afford a more believable actor than some dude who looks like he’s had the same condom in his back pocket since 2019,” said Lawler campaign spokesperson Chris Russell. “No amount of lies spewed via leftist ad campaigns can detract from the fact that Congressman D’Esposito has been at the forefront of safeguarding reproductive rights, like his successful campaign to protect access to mifepristone, and this latest bizarre attack by progressive partisans masquerading as concerned citizens is to distract voters from their deeply unpopular agenda,” D’Esposito spokesperson Matt Capp said. Molinaro announced his support for the contraception bill in June. His campaign on Monday said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Kathy Manning, did not let him sign on as a sponsor. “I was the first Republican to support the Right to Contraception Act. Shame on Kathy Manning who denied my many requests to co-sponsor just so Josh Riley could spin more lies in his desperate campaign built on lies,” Molinaro told Playbook in a statement, referring to his Democratic opponent – who is not affiliated with the contraception group or behind the ad. Manning’s office told Playbook that Molinaro never signed onto a petition to force a vote for the bill. “If Congressman Molinaro is serious about safeguarding access to all FDA-approved birth control, the first step is clear: sign the petition,” Manning said. Riley’s campaign added that, "Molinaro's record speaks for itself. He voted 13 times to restrict access to abortion, and he refuses to support the Women's Health Protection Act. These are just facts." — Nick Reisman More from Congress: — A group backing Democrats has pulled money out of the Syracuse area in a sign John Mannion has gained an advantage over Republican Rep. Brandon Williams. (Post-Standard) — The House Republicans’ super PAC is eyeing Rep. Tom Suozzi’s seat as a potential pickup. (New York Post) — Andrew Cuomo is the lesser of two evils, Rep. Marc Molinaro said about his current opponent, Josh Riley. (New York Post)
| | NEW YORK STATE OF MIND | | — Construction unions are rallying in support of the Hudson Yards casino plan and are bashing the Friends of the High Line for opposing it. (New York Post) — Most of the highest-paid educators in New York live on Long Island. (Newsday)
| | | | 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 IN MEMORIAM: Anthony J. Colavita, former chair of the New York GOP and the Westchester Republican County Committee, died Oct. 13 at 88 years old. (LoHud) HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Writer Ross Barkan … Stephanie Campanha Wheaton of the City Comptroller’s office … Christopher Marshall of the Attorney General’s office … Hilary Rosen … Stephanie Cutter of Precision Strategies … Tom Basile … Altana Technologies’ Jonathan Prince … Chris Licht … NYT’s David Halbfinger … WSJ’s Warren Strobel … Miriam Calderone … Naysa Woomer … Jenna Lamond … Jennie Bragg … (WAS MONDAY): Judith Sheindlin ... Nieca Goldberg ... Ari Bergmann ... Marci Klein Missed Monday’s New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.
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