Where are they now: Top 10 from the first Albany Power 100

A lot has changed since City & State unveiled the first Albany Power 100. The inaugural list, published in 2013, reflected a power structure that’s very different from today. Back then, the list’s top 10 was made up entirely of men and only one person of color. Most of these individuals have handed off their responsibilities and moved on, some willingly, some less so. Here’s a look at that first top 10 and where they are now.

1. Andrew Cuomo

In 2013, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo was at the height of his powers, and we speculated that he “may find himself in the White House someday.” Instead, he resigned in disgrace in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations – which he denied – and other scandals. He mounted a comeback bid for New York City mayor that fizzled last year.

2. Sheldon Silver

Sheldon Silver was “perhaps the most powerful Assembly speaker ever,” as we wrote in 2013. But by 2015 he had resigned after 21 years as speaker in the face of federal corruption allegations. He was convicted later in 2015, had that overturned in 2017, was sentenced again in 2018 and died in 2022 while serving out his prison sentence. 

3. Dean Skelos

Dean Skelos helped Republicans cling to power in the state Senate and “win budget concessions for businesses and block some left-leaning legislation.” However, he resigned in 2015 and was convicted on federal corruption charges in 2016. In 2020, he left prison for home confinement after testing positive for COVID-19.

4. Jeffrey Klein

Jeffrey Klein formed a controversial power-sharing agreement with state Senate Republicans that gave him a “seat at the negotiating table.” Described at the time as “one of Albany’s most charmed power brokers,” he was later ousted by Alessandra Biaggi in the 2018 election. He’s now a lobbyist.

5. Charles Schumer

It’s been a roller-coaster ride for Washington’s top Democrat. Back in 2013, Chuck Schumer was “the White House’s go-to negotiator working with Republicans to achieve notable bipartisan victories.” He went on to become U.S. Senate majority leader, a title he lost and is now trying to regain.

6. Lawrence Schwartz

Lawrence Schwartz was Cuomo’s “shrewdest negotiator” in his influential role as secretary to the governor. He left the administration in 2015, working as chief strategy officer at OTG Management, an airport food and beverage company, until September. He also served on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board.

7. Howard Glaser

As the governor’s director of state operations, Howard Glaser was once “as indispensable to Cuomo as anyone.” Glaser left state government in 2014 and took a job handling government affairs at Las Vegas-based gambling equipment company Light & Wonder in 2019. In recent years, Glaser became a sharp critic of Cuomo.

8. Tom DiNapoli

Elected officials come and elected officials go, but Tom DiNapoli remains the same. DiNapoli first took office as state comptroller in 2007 and has had little trouble winning reelection ever since. However, this year he is facing several challengers in the Democratic primary. 

9. Preet Bharara

Preet Bharara made his mark as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York by tackling Wall Street corruption and cleaning up Albany. Bharara ended the careers of three people on this list – Silver, Skelos and Thomas Libous. He’s now a podcaster, academic and law partner at WilmerHale.

10. Thomas Libous

Back when Republicans still had some clout in Albany, then-state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Thomas Libous was “upstate New York’s most powerful legislator.” But the Binghamton politician was convicted in 2015 of lying to FBI agents. Libous died in 2016 while mounting an appeal, and the conviction was vacated.