News & Politics
Campaigns & Elections
Jessica Ramos paid off her anti-casino poll debt. But what did it cost?
First, an anonymous donor was going to pay for it. Now, the state senator’s campaign has – and it might have been more than she owed.
News & Politics
Buffalo Common Council Member Leah Halton-Pope likely to replace Assembly Member Crystal Peoples-Stokes
Peoples-Stokes, the No. 2 Democrat in the Assembly, will announce her retirement on Wednesday, paving the way for a hand-picked successor.
Personality
5 things to know about Lee Zeldin as he tops Trump’s list for AG
It’s unclear if the 2022 New York gubernatorial candidate and current EPA administrator will be picked to be the nation’s top prosecutor, but just in case …
Budget
The council released its budget rebuttal. Mamdani slammed Menin personally.
Jarring some council members, the condemnation came swiftly and straight from the mayor.
News & Politics
Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn is losing her grip on the Brooklyn Dems
The Assembly member has weathered storms before – but she’s having a really bad week.
News & Politics
Blakeman denied public matching funds in decision criticized as partisan
The Democrat-majority state Public Campaign Finance Board voted not to permit the likely Republican nominee for governor to receive millions in matching funds
News & Politics
Hochul leads Blakeman by just 13 points in latest Siena poll
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s lead over her likely GOP opponent has shrunk by half over the past two months.
Heard Around Town
Blakeman stops by City Hall to tout affordability
The GOP candidate for governor, like the incumbent governor, is against raising taxes.
Personality
Meet the mastermind behind Hochul’s unhinged pressroom X account
Ben Freedman skillfully counters misinformation and claps back at the Trump administration’s attacks on Gov. Kathy Hochul, all while having fun.
Heard Around Town
Mamdani will skip this weekend’s rallies aimed at Trump, Hochul
The New York City mayor, navigating relationships with both executives, won’t attend Saturday’s No Kings rally or Sunday’s Tax the Rich event.
New York City
Council passes bills to regulate protests outside schools and houses of worship
There was veto-proof support for the bill pertaining to churches and less support for restricting protests at schools.
News & Politics
Internal GOP poll shows Blakeman just 9 points behind Hochul
The poll of likely voters has renewed Republicans’ hopes of retaking the governor’s mansion.
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Heard Around Town
Mamdani and Ossé make peace, plan to team up against deed theft
The mayor called the council member last week to chat.
Ethics
New York City moves to dismiss Paladino’s free speech lawsuit
The City Council member faces potential consequences for a series of Islamophobic statements on X.
Heard Around Town
NYC electeds back NYU faculty union with strike looming
Non-tenure track professors have been negotiating a contract with the downtown college for more than a year.
Artificial Intelligence
City Hall hires expert on AI and privacy
Rashida Richardson, an alum of the White House and Federal Trade Commission, will work with the Mamdani administration on AI, among other tech issues.
2026 congressional midterm elections
WFP isn’t endorsing Meng challenger Chuck Park after all
In an unusual move, Working Families Party leaders rejected an advisory council’s recommendation.
News & Politics
Judge rules that Rafael Rubio, council staffer detained by ICE, should be sent to Venezuela
The outcome was unwelcome news for Rubio’s many powerful allies and advocates. It came as others were released from federal immigration custody.
New York City
Jessica Tisch isn’t too worried about scrapped plans to hire 5,000 more cops
The NYPD commissioner stayed aligned with Mayor Zohran Mamdani during the City Council’s preliminary budget hearing.
Campaigns & Elections
Zohran Mamdani has boosted Claire Valdez on the campaign trail and off
The mayor spends time with many elected officials. When he’s also endorsed them in a competitive race for Congress, it gets more notice.
