I cast doubt on the existence of a racial bias or prosecutorial conspiracy in the recent rash of investigations and arrests involving black and Hispanic lawmakers.… [More]

False claims of racism in public corruption investigations are not only a distraction but damaging to innocent people who deserve public servants who live up to the privilege of their office.… [More]

There is no battle for Brooklyn Borough Hall. State Sen. Eric Adams is in a rarefied place for a candidate seeking a wide open seat: He does not really need to campaign. With only a sole long-shot opponent and virtually the entire Brooklyn Democratic Party behind him, Adams is poised to replace the wisecracking Borough President Marty Markowitz, who has reigned over the borough as its No. 1 booster for close to a dozen years. Adams’ campaign kickoff in March,… [More]

  Forgive us if we thought the circus was in town—it’s just Anthony Weiner’s mayoral launch. The prodigal pol posed in the streets of Brooklyn for his debut campaign commercial. He traipsed through Harlem before hobnobbing with commuters on the subway. Few have been shy when the topic is Weiner. Even the governor couldn’t help himself, offering that it would be a shame if the city voted for him for mayor. Hot dog, a Cuomo-Weiner battle over New York’s supremacy… [More]

Brooklyn Democratic leaders are uneasy at the possibility that the Brooklyn borough president frontrunner, state Sen. Eric Adams, may become entangled in a federal dragnet that has already ensnared former state Sen. Shirley Huntley, who secretly recorded Adams, and they are making calls urging more candidates to step into the race, according to sources. Power brokers are urging Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President Carlo Scissura, Markowitz’s former chief of staff, to challenge Adams, but Scissura said he’s staying put for now. “I love… [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]

State Sen. Malcolm Smith woke up to FBI agents pounding on his door in Queens on Tuesday morning—and his colleagues in the Independent Democratic Conference woke up to a pounding headache. Federal prosecutors charged Smith with bribing New York City political officials in a quixotic bid to run for mayor on the Republican ballot, the latest in a steady stream of corruption cases flowing out of Albany. The elaborate alleged conspiracy and extortion plot also ensnared Queens Councilman Dan Halloran, two… [More]

  The moment Dov Hikind wakes up, before he puts on his makeup, he says a little prayer for you. The Brooklyn assemblyman did a lot of praying this week, but it was the makeup and combing his hair that got him in trouble and earned him headlines across the world. Forever and ever, it will stay in our heart, Dov’s sorry too. Forever and ever, we’ll remember the Purim costume, Dov meant to do. Together, forever, that’s how it… [More]

Legislators want their cash back, but the governor stands in their way.… [More]

  Mr. Independent, Mr. Self-sufficient, Mr. Keep-your-distance. Mayoral candidate Adolfo Carrión snagged the Independence Party’s endorsement this week, keeping his heart protected so that he’d never feel rejected by the Republican or Democratic parties. But what is that feeling taking over? It’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo opening the door to, surprise! A state-imposed teacher evaluation bill that’s real for New York City. But Cuomo miscalculated on a Medicaid rate change delivering a $500 million hit to the state budget, leaving us… [More]