Winners and Losers 05/22/15

Memorial Day is a time when we honor those who paid the ultimate price in protection of our country—but before you head off for the long weekend, be sure to vote in our weekly roundup of those who had the best and worst week.

WINNERS

Bridget Brennan - The special narcotics prosecutor summed up a massive Bronx heroin bust succinctly, saying "This load was so large, it carried the potential of supplying a dose of heroin to every man, woman and child in New York City." Most of us can agree that it's a good week when you remove a record $50 million in drugs off the streets.  

Benjamin Lawsky – As superintendent of the Department of Financial Services, Lawsky developed a sterling reputation and brought the state billions in financial settlements, including another $485 million from Barclays just this month. But the “Sheriff of Wall Street,” as he’s been called, is soon leaving to open his own New York-based legal and consulting firm. It’s not hard to imagine the Cuomo administration will be sad to see him go … though the financial industry likely feels differently. 

Sawyer Fredericks - At least there is one talented upstater who is not planning on joining the upstate brain drain. The Fultonville teen took home top honors on The Voice this week and promptly told reporters he wanted to get back to his farm and he was not moving to Los Angeles. That sounds like a perfect promotional opportunity for ESDC to jump on if it wasn't for last week's news. 

Aaron Mair – The longtime capital region environmentalist was named the chair of the Sierra Club’s national board of directors, becoming the first African-American to hold the post in the history of the 123-year-old organization. Mair, who has battled garbage-burning polluters and raised awareness of the dangers of lead paint, says he will now aim to use the position to get more people of color involved with issues like climate change through grassroots efforts.

Steve Nislick –The head of an animal advocacy group lobbying for a ban on horse-drawn carriages appears to have harnessed an inside path toward prohibition. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration has hired Langan Engineering to conduct an independent review of the industry. The firm’s CEO, David Gockel, was an early supporter of Nislick’s New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets and has been listed on the advocacy group’s flyers.  

LOSERS

Lee Bollinger – Graduation is supposed to be a celebratory time, but at Columbia University the president found himself once again at the center of an uproar over an alleged campus rape. Emma Sulkowicz has been carrying her mattress around campus to protest fellow student Paul Nungesser, whom she accuses of raping her. Against the wishes of the university, Sulkowicz kept her mattress in tow when she crossed the stage, while Columbia University President Lee Bollinger—a renowned expert on freedom of speech, incidentally—happened to be turning away and didn’t shake her hand. 

Jeremiah Kittredge - The CEO of Families for Excellent Schools was clearly not happy when the state Education Department rejected all 15 charter school proposals before it this week. Kittredge blamed the decision on "politics of the moment," which prompted Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch to literally shame him. This fight is far from over, but Kittredge and his charter school allies clearly lost the latest battle. 

Matthew Libous – The son of the powerful Binghamton state Sen. Tom Libous learned his fate for a tax fraud scheme that he was convicted of early this year: six months in jail, a $25,000 fine and 100 hours of community service. The judge took some mercy on young Libous, allowing him to delay his prison term so that he can attend his ailing father’s trial this summer, which is small consolation when staring at a jail sentence in the future. 

Joseph Ponte – Rikers Island has gotten a lot of bad press lately. A lot. So the city Department of Correction commissioner will at least have some experience with dealing with even more bad news this week. Female inmates at the jail complex are in a federal lawsuit accusing seven correction officers of repeated rape and sexual abuse over a two-year period. Good luck dealing with the fallout from this one!

Hector Ramirez – The Bronx politician was defeated by Victor Pichardo in a close Assembly race in 2013, and was narrowly beaten by Pichardo again in 2014. But the most painful loss may be the next one for Ramirez, who was arrested this week on charges that he got residents to let his campaign vote for them during last year’s election. Pichardo’s campaign was also accused of using questionable tactics, but with Ramirez bogged down with legal troubles the incumbent may be able to finally coast to re-election the next time around.