You’ve fanatically opened up First Read each Friday to find out our picks for winners and losers of the week. Taking all 52 weeks into consideration, who were the crème de la crème and the bottom of the barrel? With 2012 drawing to a close, we offer a special extended edition of Winners & Losers to share our nominees for the biggest winners and losers of the year. Preet Bharara – If anyone can clean up New York politics,… [More]

  The elections are over, but the battle for control of the state Senate is just beginning: Simcha Felder revealed he’ll join the Republicans, the IDC’s Jeff Klein met with the GOP’s Dean Skelos and the Rev. Al Sharpton canceled his meeting about the Senate Dems. Meanwhile, other political figures dealt with the ongoing fallout of Superstorm Sandy, positioned themselves for next year’s elections in New York City or faced legal troubles — with varying degrees of success. And to… [More]

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has blasted the Long Island Power Authority for its frustratingly slow efforts to restore power after Tropical Storm Irene, but the governor hasn’t been so quick to exert his own power on the public authority. But the governor’s delay in installing new leadership at LIPA may give him greater freedom to criticize the public authority since he is not responsible for any of its appointees, some observers say. Even before the storm hit, LIPA’s debt woes and… [More]