As the state is buffeted by a seemingly unending series of scandals involving elected officials, we asked a number of experts and politicians to weigh in what was New York’s worst political scandal ever. Let us know if you agree–and what scandals may have been overlooked. Larry Norden Deputy Director, Brennan Center for Justice The past 10 years have been really bad for Albany. We’ve had at least 13 convictions of elected officials, many more indictments, including three of the… [More]

  Just when you thought Albany couldn’t get any more disgusting, Vito Lopez’s ethics-bending sexual harassment report became public. The findings eviscerate Lopez for his lecherous behavior toward eight former staff members and taint Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver as his enabler. The report’s slimy details made us so uncomfortable that we’ll go take another shower while you take a look at our winners and losers.   Ray Halbritter – The Oneida Nation’s representative extolled this week’s catchall agreement between his people, the state and two… [More]

  Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do? The feds finally came for state Sen. John Sampson and indicted him on Monday on embezzlement charges. A federal court document also revealed the names of five additional state senators, plus a city councilman, whom state Sen. Shirley Huntley secretly recorded in cooperation with the FBI. Oh, and last Friday, Assemblyman William Boyland got indicted. Again. Our losers list is spilling over, but we’ve pared it down to bring you the Winners and Losers of… [More]

MATTHEW DRISCOLL President and CEO, New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Q: What does the Environmental Facilities Corporation do? MD: It is the arm of the Cuomo administration that helps communities finance drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. Q: What is your top priority? MD: My top priority is to help municipalities take advantage of our low interest rates to finance infrastructure that is critical to ensuring sustainable communities. Creating an efficient wastewater system or a reliable drinking water supply can be… [More]

FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2013 New York University, Kimmel Center (tentative) City&State, and our partners, look forward to hosting our second annual New Agenda Forum on the role women and minority owned businesses/suppliers and diversity play in government and private business. 8:00 – 8:45 AM Registration, Breakfast & Welcoming Remarks Reverend Jacques DeGraff, The New Agenda, Chair, One Hundred Black Men, 1st Vice President 8:45 – 9:00 AM Opening Keynote 9:15 – 10:00 AM Newsmakers on M/WBE Development Opportunities Strategy 10:15… [More]

  Springtime arrived across the state, bringing with it radiant sunlight, tulips in full bloom, the calming buzz of honeybees and a publishing war between the governor and perhaps his fiercest critic. Cuomo’s newly announced memoir, which he vowed to write himself, will trump Fred Dicker’s deal for a book that the columnist hoped to write with the governor. They say history is written by winners, so here are our Winners and Losers: Can’t get enough of our winners and… [More]

  State Sen. Greg Ball represents the pulsating id of New York’s conservative voter base, tweeting thoughts that some conservatives may be reluctant to say. This week, he tackled torture. Specifically, with a baseball bat. Then he called most politicians, his colleagues mind you, “completely full of crap.” His tweets and Albany interviews got him a national audience and he used it to belittle Piers Morgan on CNN. We can’t tell whether this makes Ball a winner or a loser… [More]

“Being powerful is like being a lady,” mused the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. “If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” In Albany, as in every political arena, bluster is often mistaken for true power. Of course, even the perception that one has influence can yield genuine authority, but more often that not, those with true power in government are not the grandstanders but those who work dutifully, quietly and shrewdly behind the scenes to achieve their… [More]

100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1 100. ROBERT DUFFY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR The former mayor of Rochester is in a largely symbolic role now, standing in for the governor at ribbon-cutting ceremonies and serving as Cuomo’s personal cheerleader. But he could be the next David Paterson. You never know. 99. DAVID GRANDEAU ETHICS COMPLIANCE CONSULTANT, DAVID GRANDEAU & ASSOCIATES; BLOGGER The ethics gadfly has been a consistent thorn… [More]

100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1 10. THOMAS LIBOUS SENATE DEPUTY MAJORITY LEADER Upstate New York’s most powerful legislator is also one of the shrewdest, and the governor’s toughest sparring partner. He has sponsored Kendra’s Law, fought for improved services for the disabled, and is pushing Cuomo to legalize hydrofracking. 9. PREET BHARARA U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT Bharara, who keeps racking up high profile convictions… [More]