Winners & Losers
This week’s biggest Winners & Losers
Who’s up and who’s down this week?
Just weeks after being banished to royal Siberia at the coronation, Prince Harry is now front and center in the most bizarre American car chase since O.J. Simpson toured the LA freeways. What’s clear is that Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, left a Midtown theater and then they, a pack of paparazzi and a random cab driver drove around for about a couple of hours. The exact details are up for debate. Fortunately, we’re going to stay stateside on this report, because as AOC says, “she ain’t worth it bro.”
Bruce Teitelbaum -
In the saga that’s fascinated everyone from the YIMBYs to tankies, New York City Council Member Kristin Richardson Jordan won the battle, but it looks like real estate developer Bruce Teitelbaum is winning the war. KRJ might have temporarily blocked the One45 Harlem mixed-use development, but now she’s dropping out of her reelection bid “under a tremendous amount of pressure.” And no matter who takes her place, Bruce will likely get what he wants.
Nancy Hagans -
All that striking is starting to pay off. Earlier this year, the New York State Nurses Association won contracts with required staffing ratios following a historic strike. And in the first instance of those requirements being tested, Mount Sinai Hospital was ordered to pay $127,000 for understaffing a prenatal intensive care unit. NYSNA’s attempts to secure better contracts for public sector nurses, meanwhile, are still underway.
Joseph Zayas -
Just call him Hector LaSalle 2.0. Joseph Zayas has officially been appointed the new chief administrative judge of New York, the first Latino jurist to hold the position. The appointment came after the state Senate rejected LaSalle and confirmed Judge Rowan Wilson instead, who also made history as the state’s first Black chief judge. Robbed of the chance to usher in the first Latino chief judge, Gov. Kathy Hochul took the opportunity to elevate Zayas through Wilson. So one man’s loss is another’s victory.
Sharon Toney-Finch -
Toney-Finch tried to capitalize on the migrant crisis by claiming an upstate hotel had booted homeless veterans served by her organization in order to make room for asylum-seekers. The story of men and women who served their country being replaced by foreign migrants was catnip to Republicans and ignited outrage across the country. But the narrative broke down after the Mid-Hudson News tried to confirm the story and discovered the hotel had no record of Finch’s organization ever housing veterans there. Consider that a reservation never made.
The Hochuls -
Things have been tricky at the Hochul house. They are getting side-eye for going to a Bills game together in January and sitting in the state’s suite. The latest Siena College poll numbers are not looking good for Kathy either. She was under water for the first time since taking office. She’s also taking some heat on her response, or lack thereof, to the asylum-seeker crisis that has multiple New York counties feuding with each other. Meanwhile, after much ado, Bill Hochul’s employer, Delaware North, just lost its contract to make nachos for Buffalo Bills fans in their new taxpayer-funded stadium. At least Hochul schooled Nikki Haley about what a pardon is. Sick burn.
Rudy Giuliani -
Oh how the mighty have fallen (or continue to fall). In the latest downfall of the the former beloved mayor of New York City and lawyer for Donald Trump, a former employee has accused Giuliani of sexual assault and harrassment. The woman also accuses Giuliani of allegedly owing her nearly $2 million in unpaid wages and is seeking at least $10 million in a lawsuit filed this week. Giuliani has denied these claims and indicated his plans to fight the claims through a spokesperson.