Winners & Losers
This week’s biggest Winners & Losers
Who’s up and who’s down this week?
The NYPD is coming for the weed trucks. The department seized 20 vendors on wheels, cheekily tweeting that they won’t be open for business “anytime soon!” because despite legalization nearly a year ago, permits to sell marijuana have still not gone out in New York. The removal of the trucks was potentially good news for people who actually wanted to get high though, since Weed World, which owns a bunch of weed trucks in New York City, only (supposedly) sells products with no THC. “We don’t sell real weed,” the company owner told the Daily News. “We never have.”
Adrienne Adams -
Forget who the White House gives credit to, we know that the City Council passes legislation in New York City. Despite Mayor Eric Adams receiving props from the president’s spokesperson for signing into law a package of bills to protect abortion access, those bills came from the first majority-female City Council – a fact Speaker Adrienne Adams didn’t hesitate to point out. The bill signing followed the passage of another package of bills from the City Council focused on tackling racial disparities in maternal health.
Andrew Cuomo -
It may be odd to see former Gov. Andrew Cuomo on the winner’s list, but here we are. Cuomo didn’t so much win something as he avoided losing it. The judge in his lawsuit against the state’s former ethics agency ruled in his favor, which may seem insignificant given it no longer exists. But the ruling also means that the ex-gov no longer has to pay back $5.1 million from his pandemic book deal. Considering that he put much of it in a trust for his daughters and donated the rest, Cuomo might have run into a bit of trouble forking it over to the state. This could change under the new state ethics agency, but at least Cuomo has more time to find a job.
Dan Goldman -
The Gray Lady went gold, man. (And also for three white men.) The New York Times was the most sought-after endorsement in the 10th Congressional District, and the former prosecutor got it – whether or not he needed a boost from Times Publisher A.G. Sulzberger. Goldman also got the least sought-after endorsement, in the form of a Donald Trump social media post – self-congratulatory and dripping with sarcasm. But Goldman is trusting that voters know better – and also trusting the latest Emerson College poll, showing him with a slight lead.
Alessandra Biaggi -
For a congressional candidate in a high-profile race like state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, losing a coveted endorsement from The New York Times might have kicked off a bad week all on its own, but then came accusations of ageism and a string of negative press, including a Politico article that highlighted her alleged mistreatment of staff. While Biaggi indicated she was undeterred in her battle against longtime Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, the events may make an already difficult fight that much more so.
John Flanagan -
Feather dusters … Windex … and attack ads? Political “housekeeping” accounts can spend their money on certain things, like paying staff … not actually feather dusters. But the state elections enforcement counsel said state Senate Republicans went too far under then-leader John Flanagan in 2016 by spending housekeeping funds on campaign mailers. The GOP settled for a $200,000 fine. It could’ve been worse. And compared to legal issues other state Senate majority leaders have gotten themselves into? It could have been way worse.
Allen Weisselberg -
It’s never good to have to admit guilt for 15 felonies, but in Weisselberg’s case, the plea deal he took with the Manhattan district attorney’s office was expected to significantly reduce his potential jail sentence. That’s bad news for the Trump Organization, and a win for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, because in exchange for the reduced sentence, Weisselberg – the company’s former chief financial officer – will testify in the tax fraud case against the Trump Organization.
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