Politico

With help from Shawn Ness

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New from New York

Happening now:

• Republicans are targeting the makeup of the state’s highest court after its Harvey Weinstein decision.
• Senate Democrats are passing a package of bills today around the safety standards for lithium-ion batteries.
• The City Council said there is more money to restore budget cuts.
• A new bill would take further steps to cut down on lead paint in homes.

COURT FIGHT: Gov. Kathy Hochul was embarrassed last year as her nomination to appoint Judge Hector LaSalle as the state’s chief judge was rejected by the Democratic-controlled state Senate.

Republicans are still capitalizing on the spectacle, and they’re blaming the governor and Democrats for indirectly giving convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein a second chance in New York’s courts.

“Without question,” Weinstein’s case wouldn’t have been overturned if Hochul’s nomination for chief judge played out differently, Long Island Senate Republican Anthony Palumbo said today.

His GOP colleague, state Sen. Steven Rhoads, agreed: “Instead of letting the evidence and the facts lead the court in a particular direction, you now literally have a court and a chief judge that has decided in advance how he wants the case to come out.”

The two were joined by colleagues on the second floor of the Capitol, where they argued the overturning of Weinstein’s conviction was “courtesy of State Senate Democrats.”

Republicans like Rhoads are arguing that Senate Democrats — after rejecting LaSalle as Hochul’s more moderate pick for top judge — have forced the court into a perilously partisan direction.

They claim the Weinstein ruling is part and parcel with the left’s approach to criminal justice: a soft on crime position that frees criminals from accountability. Democrats say that’s rich.

“The Republicans have opposed the Child Victims Act and the Adult Survivors Act for decades in Albany,” Democratic state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who heads the chamber’s Judiciary Committee, said.

“So it is the height of hypocrisy that they're now calling for sexual predators to be held accountable when they missed the opportunity during my entire tenure here in the minority and years previous to allow survivors to seek justice.”

There is a reason for Republicans’ angst.

Chief Judge Rowan Wilson and the court’s majority sided with Democrats in ruling in favor of new congressional maps this year, providing Democrats with a slight boost in some key House races this year. Republicans charged that the focus on redistricting left the court too liberal and a danger to New Yorkers.

“It is more important to the Democratic majorities to have a favorable decision at the Court of Appeals on the redistricting case — which is what this was all about — and we'll deal with the sexual violence, the sexual abuse, being soft on crime, the other issues that we've seen coming out of court of appeals now,” Rhoads said.

The argument is being raised as the issue of court packing takes hold nationally, with Biden dodging Democrats who continue to press him to expand the number of justices on the nation’s highest court and fill those spots with left-leaning judges.

Democrats control the state Legislature, and thus all but one of the seven-member court is a Democrat, the exception being Michael Garcia, who was appointed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“The Court of Appeals has been stacked with political henchmen of the governor and Senate Democrats who have no issue letting monsters back into our communities,” Minority Leader Rob Ortt said in a statement.

The GOP uproar also comes during a month when New York’s court system has doled out a trio of disappointing rulings for many Democrats.

The first 10 days of May saw the Equal Rights Amendment blocked from the November ballot, a ruling against expediting absentee ballot tallying and a decision that New York’s ethics enforcement commission is unconstitutional (a big win for Cuomo).

Still, Weinstein won’t be set free. He was also convicted by a California jury in 2022 of raping a woman at a hotel in Beverly Hills in a separate case.

The GOP press conference today also occurred at the same time Democrats saw a win in the Court of Appeals. The judges ruled today that companies in the state will still be required to provide medically necessary abortions in health insurance plans. — Jason Beeferman

BATTERY BIOPSY: Senate Democrats are passing a nine-bill package today aimed at increasing safety standards for lithium-ion batteries.

Many of the bills aim to clearly label devices that use the batteries like electric bikes or scooters, others aim to study the effects of the fires and measures to prevent them. It’s unclear whether they will also pass in the Assembly.

“Our priority is the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers. This legislation is a significant step forward in addressing the dangers associated with lithium-ion batteries and ensuring our communities are better protected,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said in a statement.

One of the bills aims to not regulate the batteries, but the devices that use them. The “E–bike Operations Notice Act” would require that retailers put notices on the e-bikes that state they can’t be used on sidewalks or highways with a posted speed limit 30 miles per hour or faster.

“The dangers posed by lithium-ion batteries have gone unchecked long enough and have led to too many fires across New York City and in the communities I represent,” state Sen. Iwen Chu, the bill’s sponsor, said in a statement. “I know many rely on E-bikes to commute and perform their jobs, and this legislation prioritizes the well-being of both riders and residents alike.” — Shawn Ness

CAMPING SEASON: As camping weather approaches, Gov. Kathy Hochul noted that the state budget includes $53 million to improve public safety at state parks and campgrounds.

The money will be used to improve fencing and the installation of security cameras and license plate recognition systems.

“The safety of New Yorkers is my number one priority. Through this safety education campaign and critical security enhancements, we will help prevent incidents from occurring and ensure we are prepared to respond to any emergency situation,” Hochul said in a statement.

The money will also be used to establish a “Junior Ranger” safety program to remind kids of three core rules of safety: using a buddy system, telling parents of exploration plans and talking to park rangers if necessary.

Park rangers will also receive additional training on visitor engagement and missing persons protocols as part of the extra money.

Extensive research has gone into the projects, she said: The state’s Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation analyzed attendance data, service data and site conditions at parks across the state to decide how best to spend the money. — Shawn Ness

CASH CUSHION: The City Council is again projecting the city will have enough money to roll back unpopular budget cuts mandated by Mayor Eric Adams.

In a new budget analysis today, the body estimates $1.1 billion in additional revenue will flow into city coffers between the current fiscal year and the one beginning July 1, compared to predictions from the Adams administration.

The Council’s overall revenue forecast has remained largely the same since earlier in the year.

However, the city’s Office of Management and Budget has increased its tax revenue expectations dramatically since March, when its projections were $3.3 billion lower than those from the Council.

“The updated forecast … provides clarity that the City can restore cuts to protect essential services and invest in the needs of New Yorkers,” the council wrote in a news release. — Joe Anuta

NO TRUMP ON STAND: Former President Donald Trump declined to testify today in his Manhattan hush money trial, and with that, both the prosecution and the defense have rested.

The proceedings over whether Trump falsified business records and conspired to bury negative stories that could hurt his 2016 election prospects are drawing to a close, but will stretch at least into next week.

Justice Juan Merchan set the closing arguments for Tuesday, after the Memorial Day holiday, and the jury will then receive instructions and begin deliberations. (The “charging conference” to hammer out those instructions is taking place this afternoon.)

Trump surrogates, including senators, members of Congress and prospective running mates, have cycled through court in recent days to show their allegiance to the former president.

On Thursday, Trump will be among thousands of supporters in the South Bronx, where he is set to host a campaign rally. — Emily Ngo

NO MORE LEAD PAINT: Advocacy groups and lawmakers gathered in the Capitol today to advocate for the passage of a bill that would require homes be lead tested before being sold.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Brian Kavanagh and Assemblymember Jonathan Rivera, would require test results to be reported to the state and to potential buyers as a means of preventing children from coming in contact with the toxic element and to develop prevention plans.

“It would give tenants and homeowners the opportunity to choose homes for themselves and their children that are free of any known lead-paint hazards, and enhance public health officials’ ability to take proactive measures to address and mitigate these risks,” Kavanagh said in a statement.

Lead exposure can lead to high blood pressure, as well as kidney, liver and reproductive health issues. It is particularly dangerous for children because it can also cause brain damage and developmental issues.

New York leads the nation in adolescent cases of lead poisoning, with roughly 12 percent of children being diagnosed with elevated levels of lead in the body, the lawmakers said.

“It’s far past time that the state took a proactive approach to protecting tenants and new homeowners from needless lead paint exposure,” Rivera said in a statement. — Shawn Ness

NEW FACES: Merideth Andreucci has been appointed by Hochul as the new senior vice president and executive director of the Governor’s Office of Semiconductor Expansion, Management, and Integration.

Andreucci in the past has worked for state Energy Research and Development Authority and was a researcher and educator at Golisano Institute for Sustainability at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

“GO-SEMI has been a driving force behind our state’s chips success story, and under Merideth’s brilliant leadership, I am confident that the office will keep advancing our mission to transform New York into a global chipmaking hub,” Hochul said in a statement. — Shawn Ness

COUNTERING ANTISEMITISM: The American Jewish Committee met with state officials today to discuss ways to counter antisemitism on college campuses and in schools across the state.

Today marked the last day for committee hearings in the Senate, and the Assembly will have its final Higher Education Committee meeting on Wednesday, which means the clock is running short to introduce or pass legislation regarding antisemitism on campuses.

But Senate Higher Education Committee Chair Toby Stavisky said she is having conversations with her colleagues regarding potential action the Legislature can take, such as potentially hosting public hearings with campus leaders.

“This is overt. This is there and it has to stop,” Stavisky said to the group regarding antisemitism on campuses.

When asked specifically about hosting public hearings with campus leaders Stavisky said, “everything is open for discussion.” — Katelyn Cordero

— Rep. Tim Kennedy is calling for a federal investigation for an Amtrak train that hit a car and killed three people. (State of Politics)

— Mayor Eric Adams wants to conduct a review of the NYPD officers who assaulted pro-Palestinian protesters. (Daily News)

— A new ranking of proposed per pupil spending by school district in New York. (Syracuse.com)

With help from Shawn Ness

New from New York

Happening now:

• Michael Carey, an advocate for disabled patients and a regular presence at the state Capitol, said he was pushed by state Sen. Kevin Parker.
• Labor chairs of the state Legislature want to do more to protect retail workers.
• Efforts to move migrants upstate to five counties has been slow going.
• There was a new graduating class of the State Police today.

CAPITOL FIGHT: State Sen. Kevin Parker allegedly shoved disability rights advocate Michael Carey before the start of the Senate Energy Committee meeting today, according to Carey and two other individuals who witnessed the altercation.

Carey, who is known to be vocal with lawmakers, shared with POLITICO a copy of a police report he filed, which can be read here.

In it, Carey alleges the lawmaker got in his face and screamed “I don’t care,” before putting his hands on him twice and shoving him in front of a room full of people, according to the report and a subsequent interview.

At the same time the incident was unfolding, shouting can be heard on the recording of the elections committee happening next door on the Capitol’s first floor.

Parker did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Playbook.

He is known for his explosive outbursts and physical altercations, which include allegedly shoving a legislative staffer, breaking a New York Post photographer’s camera and cursing out other lawmakers. Carey said he had been completely unaware of that history, which includes being convicted of a misdemeanor for the altercation with the Post photographer.

“This is multiple situations,” Carey said. “He's a danger to other people. He was a danger to me.”

The disability advocate said the incident started minutes before the committee meeting, when he asked Parker to cosponsor a 911 civil rights bill, which he is trying to make law in memory of his son who died in 2007 at a group home.

When Parker, chair of the energy committee, said he was looking into the matter, Carey said he told Parker the issue was analogous to Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight against discrimination and reminded Parker of his son's death. Parker then yelled “I don’t care” when Carey brought up his dead son and got inches away from Carey’s face before shoving him, according to Carey.

Witnesses, who were granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, said Carey was also shouting at Parker during the incident.

Carey then said he left the meeting and requested a State Police officer come to the scene. He asked the officer to inform Parker that if he apologized to Carey he would not press charges. Parker did not apologize and instead invoked his right to counsel, Carey said.

“I was kind of shocked, he didn’t apologize,” he said.

State Sen. Mario R. Mattera, a Long Island Republican who serves as the ranking member on the Energy Committee, also said he witnessed the altercation but declined to go into detail.

“There was tensions, yes, there was tensions, and it was unfortunate in a lot of ways, but that's something that Senator Parker and that gentleman need to get through, and hopefully they can,” Mattera said.

He also said it was inappropriate for Carey to take up the issue of the bill at the committee meeting instead of trying to speak with Parker in his office.

Carey said he wants a restraining order against the senator.

“I understand when people don’t deal with anger issues, they’ll go on to hurt other people,” Carey said. — Jason Beeferman

RETAIL CRIME IS NOT OVER: Gov. Kathy Hochul pushed hard to get a budget deal that included cracking down on retail theft, but the Legislature’s labor chairs said that state government needs to go further to protect workers.

“There were some things done in the budget regarding retail workers that were punitive and all about law enforcement,” Assemblymember Harry Bronson, a Rochester Democrat, said. “We need more than that.”

The budget upgraded assaults on retail workers from a misdemeanor to a felony. It also created dedicated retail theft teams for state and local law enforcement and added $5 million in tax breaks for store security cameras and other anti-theft expenses.

But labor advocates say they need more proactive, instead of “punitive,” measures to protect retail workers.

They’re pushing for the Retail Worker Safety Act, sponsored by Bronson and state Sen. Jessica Ramos, that would require retailers in the state to train employees on de-escalation and violence prevention tactics.

The two lawmakers also rallied for three other labor bills this week: to reduce warehouse worker injuries; to set standards for extreme temperatures while working in agriculture, construction and other industries and a third to oversee nail salon workers’ rights.

“We have a very important decision to make on whether we're going to tilt the scales towards the workers or we're going to continue to allow for the scale to be tilted towards the bosses,” Ramos said Tuesday at a rally at the Capitol. “And I say no to that. I say, ‘Yes’ to protections for the workers.”

The Retail Council of New York State is working to counter Ramos and Bronson’s Retail Worker Safety Act.

“The costly mandates proposed in the bill — including onerous recordkeeping requirements, panic buttons and additional security guards — will do little, if anything, to address recidivists entering stores with the intent to engage in illegal activity such as shoplifting and assault,” Melissa O’Connor, the group’s president, wrote in a memorandum of opposition.

Justin Henry, a spokesperson for Hochul, did not comment on the labor chairs’ bills, but instead pointed to Hochul’s comments on the retail theft earlier this month:

“No one wants to see the shops in their neighborhood boarded up because business owners simply say, ‘I can't do this anymore. It's just not working. It's not worth it,’” Hochul said at a post-budget retail theft press conference. “That threatens the very vitality of these communities, which I will stop at nothing to protect.” — Jason Beeferman

MIGRANT RELOCATION: After the state launched a program to relocate migrant families moving to New York City to upstate regions last August, it has only relocated 283 families, according to the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which administers the program. Read the full story here.

Only five counties have received families: Albany, Erie, Monroe, Westchester and Suffolk; all of which have below-average housing vacancy rates. Nearly 1,000 families have been put on a waiting list or were deemed ineligible after being referred to the program.

“We're pretty much maxed out. We've been maxed out. I only have 320,000 residents in this county, and we already have a housing crisis,” said Albany County Executive Dan McCoy. “We're having issues putting people in housing.”

And plans to offer bonuses and incentives to landlords to join in on the program have not been very successful. Despite those woes, the state is still committed to relocating families.

“OTDA is committed to assisting migrant families that choose to relocate through the Migrant Relocation Assistance Program,” the agency said in a statement. — Shawn Ness

GRAD SZN: The State Police force is now up to 4,977 officers after Hochul congratulated 228 new troopers after they graduated from the academy today.

“Today’s graduates have dedicated themselves to a life of public service and are making a commitment to serve and protect all New Yorkers,” Hochul said in a statement.

Three different awards were also presented to a select few graduates. Nicholas Krafft was given the Academic Performance Award; Matthew Grant was given the Firearms Proficiency Award; and Dominick Battaglia was given the Investigator Joseph T. Aversa Physical Fitness Award.

“Today’s ceremony is one of our finest traditions and introduces a new generation of highly trained men and women to the New York State Police. These new Troopers will serve New Yorkers with honor, integrity, and bravery, and I welcome them to our ranks,” state police superintendent Steven James said in a statement. — Shawn Ness

POLL OBSERVER PUSH: Advocates are calling on lawmakers to pass a bill to let nonpartisan groups be certified to send neutral observers to poll sites on Election Day.

“In this highly polarized context, having neutral eyes on the ground to be able to verify what’s actually happening in our polling places, which 99 percent of the time is organized and exactly as we want to it be, helps to increase transparency and to improve the public’s faith in elections,” Common Cause New York executive director Susan Lerner said.

She noted that under current law, the only people who can be certified to be observers are picked by candidates and parties.

“This seems to be a pretty straightforward and commonsense solution to a problem that occasionally arises, where a voter is improperly turned away for whatever reason,” said state Sen. James Skoufis, who sponsors the bill with Assemblymember Amy Paulin. — Bill Mahoney

MIGRANT CRISIS: Assemblymember Ed Ra and other lawmakers in the GOP minority conference are calling for a legislative hearing with New York City officials and organizations that are under contract to provide migrant-related services.

The Times Union reported on Monday about ongoing concerns with one of the key vendors, DocGo.

“This year, the state budget allocated $2.4 billion to address the migrant crisis, a considerable expansion of an expenditure for New York’s taxpayers to shoulder. Without the guardrails needed for fiscal responsibility, these funds are at risk of the fraud and abuse we have become accustomed to with emergency government contracts that lack transparency and oversight guidance,” Ra, a Long Island Republican, said in a statement.

Republicans are also calling for the passage of one of Ra’s bills that would mandate the reporting and auditing on how money for migrant programs are being spent. It is co-sponsored by fellow Republicans. — Shawn Ness

— Two New York Democrats have reintroduced a federal bill that restricts the public’s access to body armor one day after the two-year anniversary of the Buffalo Tops shooting. (State of Politics)

— State legislators are working on passing a bill to incentivize emergency medical service providers to keep working. (Times Union)

— The Seneca Nation of Indians is still in tense negotiations with the state on its compact. (POLITICO Pro)

With help from Shawn Ness

New from New York

Happening now:

• State Sen. Zellnor Myrie is running for mayor. He also might have his own Senate opponent.
• Mayor Eric Adams will be featured on The Daily Show tonight. Details below.
• The Brooklyn Maritime Terminal is getting an overhaul, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams announced.
• Attorney General Tish James has officially appealed a state court decision to toss the Equal Rights Amendment.

NEVER TOO EARLY: State Sen. Zellnor Myrie’s challenge to Mayor Eric Adams might have just earned him his own challenger next cycle.

Assemblymember Brian Cunningham has got his eye on 2026 and filed a campaign committee Monday for Myrie’s District 20 seat in Central Brooklyn, first reported by Playbook.

So does Cunningham think Myrie will beat the mayor, and he’s preparing to run for the open seat? Or does Cunningham think Myrie will lose and is threatening to challenge him for daring to take on Adams?

After all, Cunningham is one of Adams’ top allies in Albany and is so close with the mayor’s top political adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin that he calls her “Mom,” a person familiar with the relationship told Playbook.

Myrie and Cunningham’s districts overlap, but they’ve never been close. When Cunningham won his seat in a 2022 special election, Adams endorsed him, while Myrie and his camp backed Jelanie DeShong, who was working for Hochul.

Cunningham downplayed the drama.

It’s “certainly not an endorsement” of Myrie winning, or of Adams, for that matter, he said in an interview with Playbook. “This is just a matter of exploring and seeing how I can best serve the 43rd Assembly District.”

Would he take on Myrie in 2026? “I would never run simply for retribution,” Cunningham said, and he is not challenging anyone “at this time.” Both he and Myrie are running uncontested for their legislative seats this year.

Myrie’s campaign declined to comment on the move.

But insiders were split over how to read Cunningham’s move. “If he’s doing that, I assume it’s to support Adams,” a Brooklyn Democratic consultant told Playbook.

But a progressive Democratic consultant thinks Cunningham’s filing means he thinks Myrie could be mayor.

“It sends a signal that folks think this Senate seat is going to be open in 2026, and there is good reason for that,” they said. “For those who think this is an attempt to mess with Zellnor, it's worth pointing out that filing a challenge after the petitioning deadline doesn't strike much fear into anyone's heart.”

Adams tried to brush off Myrie’s challenge, in his first public comments since he filed to fundraise on Wednesday. And despite one of his close political allies in Albany making moves against Myrie, Adams said he is not thinking about the election at all.

“The election is a year and [several] months away,” Adams said during a Tuesday press conference. “I’m just focused on governing.” — Jeff Coltin

HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS: Advocacy groups convened in Albany earlier today to call on Hochul and state lawmakers to give more attention to investments that would improve transit, cycling and walking accessibility projects.

"New Yorkers all across the state deserve the freedom to get around, regardless of how old we are, how much money we have, and whether or not we're living with a disability," Riders Alliance senior organizer Danna Dennis said in a statement.

Many of the speakers want to see a reallocation of funding from downstate highway investments, like the $1 billion planned expansion of Route 17 in the Hudson Valley, and reinvest to projects that would increase accessibility. — Shawn Ness

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Prominent labor unions in New York are throwing their support to a measure meant to shorten prison sentences in exchange for vocational training.

The measure is among a handful of criminal justice law changes that have been sought in recent years in Albany.

And it is a proposal the labor groups, including influential organizations like 1199 SEIU, the United Federation of Teachers and the New York State Nurses Association argue could help alleviate a labor shortage in New York.

“This labor shortage has been exacerbated by the exclusion of people who are locked out of the workforce because of extremely long prison sentences and limited opportunities to earn release through educational and workforce development programs in prison,” the groups wrote in a letter to top state officials released today and obtained by Playbook.

The measure, backed by state Sen. Jeremy Cooney and Assemblymember Anna Kelles, would allow people in prison to earn time off if they participate in vocational, educational and rehabilitative programs.

Criminal justice reforms have come under scrutiny, however, amid criticism from Republicans — potentially making moderate Democrats less inclined to take up the proposals, especially in an election year.

But labor support could help push some of these sentencing law changes over the finish line.

“It is imperative that our elected leaders prioritize these reforms during this legislative session to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their past mistakes, have a chance to successfully reintegrate into society,” Tori Newman-Campbell, the legislative coordinator for 1199 SEIU said. — Nick Reisman

UPK FUNDING: School districts across the state are gaining access to $34 million in universal pre-kindergarten funding that will go towards 64 school districts across the state, the state Education Department announced today.

This comes after significant changes to pre-kindergarten funding were made in the 2025 enacted budget that streamlined the funding process for schools looking to create or expand their programs. The budget consolidated its funding into one funding source with $10,000 per-per-pupil for programs run by a certified teacher and $7,000 for per-pupil for programs run by a teacher without the early childhood certification.

“When we provide equitable opportunities for children in their early years, they reap the benefits throughout their lives,” Commissioner Betty Rosa said in a statement. — Katelyn Cordero 

JAMES FILES ERA APPEAL: Attorney General Tish James’ office filed an appeal today to a Livingston County court’s decision to block the state Equal Rights Amendment from appearing on November’s ballot.

The appeal has been expected. The filing confirmed that James will bring the case to a mid-level court based in Rochester, rather than attempting a rarely-successful maneuver to take arguments directly to the Court of Appeals.

“This appeal is a crucial step toward ensuring that the voters — not a single, anti-abortion litigant or backward politicians — get to decide the future of our rights and reproductive freedoms,” New Yorkers for Equal Rights campaign director Sasha Ahuja said in a statement. “We are confident the amendment will be on the ballot.” — Bill Mahoney

BROOKLYN IN THE HOUSE: Hochul, Adams and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have come to a deal — in principle — that would transform the Brooklyn Maritime Terminal into a more modern ship port.

The project would entail building a 122-acre waterfront project to generate more jobs for the region and stimulate the economy. The Democratic governor and mayor were together this morning to discuss the deal.

“Today’s announcement marks the next great chapter for Brooklyn’s storied waterfront and is a win for the people of New York City,” Hochul said in a statement. “Our partners at the Port Authority will ensure that the marine terminal at Howland Hook remains a thriving shipping hub…”

A task force will be created to assist in the engagement process. It will be chaired by Brooklyn lawmakers Rep. Dan Goldman, state Sen. Andrew Gounardes and City Council Member Alexa Aviles.

The engagement process will take input from local elected officials, unions, waterfront companies, businesses and the local community to come up with a shared vision for what the waterfront should look like. — Shawn Ness

DAILY SHOW PLAYS THE HITS: Is Adams merely the mayor, or the “Philosopher King of New York?”

Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” has taken the mayor’s most hilarious moments — both purposefully funny and otherwise — and turned it to a seven minute “Daily Showography of Eric Adams.” 

The video is airing tonight, but was shared first with Playbook.

Adams is introduced as “an enlightened thinker” who “saw his city as a playground of transcendental possibilities.”

Then the video runs through some of Adams’ greatest hits, familiar to New Yorkers.

There’s his “plane crashing into our Trade Center” quote, and declaring himself “Gandhi-like,” plus hits from the archives like his state senate “Stop the Sag” campaign against young men showing their underwear.

The Daily Show takes a progressive bent, hitting him for budget cuts to schools while spending more on cops. But it’s largely a meditation on the bizarre.

“Not since Biggie, had New York seen a philosopher with such flow," the narrator says. “And not since 50 Cent had New York seen a leader who spent so much time in da club.” — Jeff Coltin

OPERATION PADLOCK TO PROTECT: After one week of “Operation Padlock to Protect” — an enforcement effort to close illegal weed shops — the city shuttered 75 locations and issued nearly $6 million in penalties, City Hall said today.

The effort was undertaken during four days earlier this month. Locks were administered by the city’s Sheriff’s Joint Compliance Task Force and the NYPD.

“Week one of ‘Operation Padlock to Protect,’ reaffirms what we’ve long said: With the backing of legal authority behind us, our administration will act swiftly to combat illegal cannabis and smoke shop operators,” Adams said in a statement.

Adams had long been asking Albany for help to close down the illegal shops, and he got more power to do so in the state budget.

The task force conducted 150 inspections of businesses that were allegedly selling illegal cannabis products or untaxed cigarettes. Out of those inspections, 77 businesses were issued cease and desist orders (in addition to the 75 stores being locked).

“For too long, illegal operators have posed a threat to our children, our public safety, and our quality of life, and they have undermined those justice-involved, legal businesses that are trying to succeed. With this coordinated and sustained multi-agency enforcement, we will help usher in a thriving, safe, and just legal cannabis market that our city deserves,” Adams added. — Shawn Ness

ENDORSEMENT WATCH: Democratic Assemblymember Ron Kim’s reelection bid won the nods of two prominent labor unions today as he faces a primary challenge from Andy Chen for the Queens seat.

Kim was endorsed by District Council 37 and the New York State United Teachers.

Chen’s bid, meanwhile, was endorsed by the Chinese American Trucker Association, he announced via X. — Nick Reisman

CELEBRATING HISTORY: Hochul announced today the inception of the 250th Commemoration Commission to recognize the American Revolution and signing of the Declaration of Independence.

“New York State played a pivotal role in the American Revolution, and we look forward to welcoming people from all over the world to join us in commemorating the 250th anniversary in 2026,” Hochul said in a statement.

The commission will be co-chaired by Randy Simons, the commissioner pro tempore of the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, as well as Dr. Betty Rosa, the education commissioner.

The commission’s goal in its first year is to support the state’s heritage organizations in developing exhibits, coordinate state learning standards and promote heritage tourism.

The commemoration will take place in 2026. — Shawn Ness

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEGISLATION: The Senate is gearing up to pass legislation that would further protections for domestic violence victims in New York. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins announced a package of legislation set to pass the Senate on Tuesday.

The package includes legislation that would eliminate voluntary intoxication of a victim from use as a permissible defense in sex crimes. Other bills include a requirement that extreme risk protection orders be added to a statewide registry; a bill that would clarify the definition of “welfare” to increase awards made to crime victims; and another bill that would help to inform victims of their rights upon conviction.

“Those who have survived domestic and sexual violence should have access to all available resources and protection during their journey toward recovery,” Stewart-Cousins said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, existing regulations and practices often create unnecessary obstacles, bureaucratic processes, and discourage individuals from seeking essential services. Through this legislative package, we aim to clarify procedures and genuinely prioritize the rights of victims.” — Katelyn Cordero 

A SURPRISINGLY QUIET COLUMBIA GRADUATION: Columbia College students graduated in a relatively calm atmosphere this morning despite recent pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

To be sure, there were brief moments in which students expressed solidarity with Palestinians at the ceremony, the institution’s largest for graduating seniors. But overall, the event went down without significant demonstrations. Columbia President Minouche Shafik decided to skip the ceremony.

Kathy Fang, the college’s valedictorian, arrived onstage with a keffiyeh and held up her hand to show off a “Free Palestine” sticker.

The salutatorian — Priya Chainani, president of Columbia College Student Council, which offered support to students — lauded student-run publications Columbia Daily Spectator, a newspaper, and WKCR, a radio station, as “the best, most reliable sources for on the ground reporting.”

"In the past weeks, students continue to uphold the true values of Columbia even when many of the adults in the room or not in this room did not,” Chainani said to loud and continuous cheers.

Longtime CNN anchor Poppy Harlow’s speech was largely well-received by students.

“Now like some of you I am considering my options. I am unemployed, find me on LinkedIn,” Harlow said, to laughter and cheers, referring to her recent exit from CNN. The crowd was also supportive when she fought back tears as she honored her late father, a 1969 Columbia graduate.

She praised student journalists on campus, adding that over 300 journalists are currently in jail, including The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. "You have blown me away, you have worked day and night in such difficult circumstances to document history," Harlow said.

Columbia College Dean Josef Sorett also called for acknowledging everyone’s pain, noting the deaths of Palestinian and Israeli people due to the Israel-Hamas war as well as conflicts in Armenia and Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Yemen, Haiti, Sudan and the Congo. — Madina Touré and Irie Sentner

— Central New York’s Regional Market Authority is in a poor financial situation, an audit from Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found. (State of Politics)

— Adams wants to restructure the police academy to consolidate training programs for various agencies. (Daily News)

— More chemical barrels were found underneath a park on Long Island. (Newsday)

With help from Shawn Ness

New from New York

Happening now:

• First the New York City mayor, and now Gov. Kathy Hochul is headed to Rome.
• A ‘Big’ Hall of Famer visited the state Capitol.
• The Adams administration was in Albany today to push for procurement changes.
• Rep. Nicole Malliotakis showed up outside the trial of former President Donald Trump.

THE POPE AND HOCHUL: Gov. Kathy Hochul will be jetting away to Rome this week for a climate conference hosted by Pope Francis.

She’ll be giving a 15-minute talk, titled “Climate Leadership in the Empire State: Building Resiliency for All,” at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Vatican City time.

The pontiff will hold an audience with the governor and other world leaders shortly after Hochul’s speech.

The governor’s trip to the Vatican comes just days after Mayor Eric Adams also visited the Holy See. (Adams and his team flew back from Rome today, after arriving on Friday).

The nearly back-to-back visits to the Vatican seem to be coincidental.

“Our goal for this trip is simple: strengthen international connections that will create economic opportunities for New Yorkers and a cleaner future for the next generation,” Hochul said in a statement.

Hochul, unlike Adams, is Catholic, and she frequently talks about her faith during public addresses.

The three-day summit will also be attended by California Gov. Gavin Newsom; Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey; the mayors of Boston, London, Rome, São Paulo, Paris, Athens and Venice; and other politicians and academics.

A main goal of the summit will be to create a “Planetary Climate Resilience protocol,” fashioned in the likes of the Montreal Protocol, and all the global leaders will sign their names to it. The document will then be submitted to the United Nations.

“This is a great opportunity for New York to discuss their climate bill and all the actions going on right now to reduce our climate footprint,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director at Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “This is a critically important meeting that can hopefully inspire other leaders to take action.”

It won’t be the first time the governor and the pope are side by side. In 2015, then-Lt. Gov. Hochul visited the White House on behalf of her boss, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, for the pontiff’s first visit to the U.S.

“For me personally, as a Catholic, it was amazing to be in the presence of such a humble but inspirational individual,” Hochul said at the time.

Hochul spokesperson Avi Small said the trip is official business of the governor and will be bankrolled by the state.

“Climate change is a critically important issue to the Holy Father, and we are pleased that Governor Hochul will have a chance to possibly meet him and discuss this pressing matter period,” said Dennnis Proust, the executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference.

“Our hope is it would be a moment of grace for her as a Catholic to meet Pope Francis.” — Jason Beeferman

BIG PAPI TO ALBANY: Famed Yankees beater David “Big Papi” Ortiz stopped by the state Capitol today to be honored for his charitable work.

“My career as an athlete and off the field with the community, this is what people really love about me as a person,” Ortiz said. “It’s not just me as an athlete who was out there doing my thing.”

Sen. Luis Sepulveda – ironically a Bronx resident – invited the former Red Sox player to Albany and lauded his efforts with groups like the Maestro Cares Gala.

Ortiz said he’s always been a fan of the Empire State: “New York is a state that every Dominican has someone related to them here,” he said.

“The only fans worldwide who stop me and say ‘I love and respect you’ are the Yankees fans. No Dodgers fans, no other team’s fans, but the Yankees fans are the only ones who spread that to me.”

While he said he’s “very familiar with the Bronx,” he hadn’t been to Albany before. “I drive by a lot,” he said. The Capitol is “beautiful,” he said. — Bill Mahoney

ADAMS ASK: Adams has another ask for Albany.

Officials with the mayor’s administration were at the Capitol today to push for changes to procurement law to speed up construction of infrastructure and other projects.

“These tools, my colleagues in the rest of the country already have them,” said Tom Foley, commissioner at the New York City Department of Design and Construction, which is responsible for public building projects. “We need these tools… to build better, faster and cheaper.”

The delegation also included Meera Joshi, deputy mayor for operations, and Michael Garner, chief business diversity officer.

Lawmakers supporting the mayor’s agenda indicated they’re willing to give Adams more latitude than previous officials.

State Sen. Jim Sanders also said it might seem late in session for a push, but that Adams was successful last year in a late effort for changes related to minority and women-owned businesses. The session ends the first week of June.

“There’s no waiting for another year, there’s getting it done now,” Sanders said.

But some of the measures Adams’ officials were pushing haven’t even been introduced, including making the Department of Design and Construction into an authority and expanding design-build contracting ability. Two have been introduced: changes to the public hearing requirements (A8864/S7833) which has passed the Senate and changes to the New York State Insurance Fund (A7317/S7975). — Marie J. French

TRUMP ON TRIAL

THERE FOR TRUMP: Rep. Nicole Malliotakis showed her support for former President Donald Trump today at his Manhattan criminal hush money trial, helping to slam key prosecution witness Michael Cohen because a gag order prohibits the former president from doing so.

The Staten Island Republican accompanied Trump in court and then stood alongside Sens. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall to challenge the credibility of Trump’s one-time fixer.

“He’s a convicted, disbarred perjurer,” Malliotakis told reporters of Cohen outside the courthouse during a break in his testimony.

Prosecutors have said Cohen’s testimony can be corroborated with other evidence.

Malliotakis also assailed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the Democrat who has become a frequent foil for Republicans. She said Bragg should be focused on “actual crime.”

NYPD statistics show shootings and homicides have been trending downward in Manhattan since Bragg took office. — Emily Ngo

‘SEEING US:’ After a long public engagement campaign, the City of Buffalo and victims’ families of the racially-motived mass-shooting in Buffalo in 2022 have come to a decision on how to honor the lives lost.

“Seeing Us” will consist of 10 unique pillars inscribed with the names of the victims.

"As we approach the solemn two-year anniversary of when our neighbors were senselessly slaughtered solely because of the color of their skin, we rededicate ourselves in supporting the East Buffalo community, remembering those we lost, and supporting those who were injured,” Hochul said in a statement.

Ten Black people were murdered in a Tops grocery store after a white 18-year-old drove over 200 miles from his hometown in Broome County to the predominantly-Black neighborhood.

Twenty designs were submitted to the 5/14 Memorial Commission, which consisted of 11 members. Five were appointed by Hochul, five from local leadership and one agreed on by both. — Shawn Ness

FAITH COMMUNITY SUPPORTS COLUMBIA STUDENTS: The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York is creating a safe space for Columbia University students in the wake of recent pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights, the seat of the bishop, is providing room for a daily lunch for students currently banned from the university’s dining halls, Bishop Matthew Heyd wrote in a newsletter to parishioners this morning.

The church is also hosting an alternative commencement for students next week.

Ryan Kuratko and Megan Sanders, college chaplains at Columbia and New York University, are also supporting their respective campuses.

“The Cathedral is providing safe and open space for everyone at a time when Columbia University is not safe,” Heyd said, adding that all events at the cathedral “are open to everyone.”

This comes as Columbia kicks off smaller graduation ceremonies in lieu of its university-wide commencement, which the institution canceled last week.

There have been no arrests at the cathedral so far, Heyd added, noting he instructed the church to not cooperate with the NYPD around the demonstrations.

The Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations — made up of committees that collaborate with representatives for the Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities — is scheduled to meet this week. The General Convention, the governing body of the Episcopal Church that includes bishops, will also weigh resolutions related to the Israel-Gaza war this summer.

“It’s my hope the Commission can facilitate a wider diocesan conversation about the Israel-Gaza war,” Heyd said.

He, along with two other bishops — who have denounced Israel’s deadly Oct. 7 attack on Hamas militants as well as the taking of hostages — called for a cease-fire in Gaza as well as access to humanitarian aid.

The bishop was scheduled to meet with young adults in the diocese who have expressed concerns about the church response to the war later this morning. — Madina Touré

CHECK, PLEASE: The restaurant industry has a bot problem. And state lawmakers may try to crack down on it by the end of the legislative session June 6.

Assemblymember Alex Bores and state Sen. Nathalia Fernandez today pushed a measure that’s meant to address websites that scoop up a restaurant’s reservations and sell them to customers.

That’s costing restaurants, especially those in high-demand in New York City, big when there’s a no-show.

“It’s a lot like ticket scalping, but it’s even worse. Reservation being held by the bot system,” New York State Restaurant Association President and CEO Melissa Fleischut told reporters. “They staff up, they order all the food, they think they’re going to have a full restaurant.”

The measure backed by Bores is meant to differentiate between the legitimate online reservation services like Open Table and the websites — many using automated bots — that have no actual relationship with the eatery.

“It’s so important for us to be protecting not just consumers, but our small businesses and our restaurants,” Bores said. — Nick Reisman

LAWMAKERS SAY ‘NEIGH’ TO HORSE SLAUGHTER: One month after the nation’s strictest anti-horse slaughtering law went into effect in New York, two equine protection groups honored five of the lawmakers that helped get it passed.

The two groups selected chair of the Senate’s Racing and Wagering Committee Joseph Addabbo; Senate Agriculture Chair Michelle Hinchey; Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee Chair Gary Pretlow; Assembly Environmental Conservation Chair Deborah Glick; and Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair Donna Lupardo were the five legislators honored.

The law banned the slaughter of all horses for human and animal consumption.

“After nearly 20 years of carrying this important bill, I am thrilled that New York has finally put an end to the horse slaughter pipeline that has run through our state,” Glick, a Manhattan Democrat and bill sponsor, said in a statement. — Shawn Ness

— An increasing number of school districts on Long Island are hiring armed guards. (Newsday)

— Two advocacy groups are suing the state claiming that inmates with disabilities were placed in solitary confinement. (Times Union)

— New York’s biggest teachers union is celebrating record school aid funding and pension changes. (POLITICO Pro)

With help from Shawn Ness

New from New York

Happening now:

• Gov. Kathy Hochul and regulators took steps to bolster the failing recreational marijuana industry.
• A Buffalo Senate seat vacated by now-Rep. Tim Kennedy will remain empty through the remainder of the year.
• Mayor Eric Adams kicked off his trip to Italy by offering praise of the Pope.
• Hochul told reporters that she’s hopeful a deal can be reached to address the ills of social media on children.

TROUBLE IN THE WEED WORLD: Chris Alexander, the executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management, will leave at the end of his term to “pursue other opportunities,” Gov. Kathy Hochul told reporters today during a press conference announcing an overhaul of the state’s cannabis agency.

Meanwhile, the Cannabis Control Board was meeting at the same time to approve additional licenses and a shift in how licenses are processed.

The overlapping press conference and agency meeting were the culmination of years of New York’s troubled cannabis rollout amid an effort to redress the harms of past cannabis enforcement.

Entrepreneurs have long spoken out about the botched program, outlining the financial consequences of the slow licensing process.

Hochul acknowledged how those hardships have affected specific applicants who were supposed to be positioned to take advantage of an economic opportunity in the recreational marijuana industry, only to have suffered devastating financial consequences.

She told reporters about an applicant who invested more than $40,000, but still has yet to hear any news on their application — a story that is familiar to anyone who has been listening to public comments at the board meetings.

Staffing issues: Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy, who led a review released today on the system, told reporters that the state is recruiting additional staffers to review licenses in hopes of speeding up the process.

Agencies need to prioritize requests for staffing, she said.

“If the idea is that the office was sitting there not asking for additional staff … and all of a sudden somebody's saying that we need to ask for additional staff, it sounds like that's not accurate,” said Cannabis Control Board member Adam Perry during Friday’s meeting. “It sounds like the office has asked for additional staff.”

Perry was also critical that the board wasn’t provided with a draft of the report ahead of its public release, as is customary for external reviews.

Board Chair Tremaine Wright said the board had not been presented with a report and that she had requested that it receive an update on the findings of the audit. A spokesperson for the governor said that Wright was briefed on key information from the report on Wednesday.

Other new developments: The governor also announced a task force to crack down on the illicit cannabis market, as well as a $5 million grant program to help entrepreneurs impacted by past cannabis enforcement.

The board approved more than 100 additional licenses today, though only 31 more retailers. Cannabis regulators are also changing the licensing review process, and they plan to review significantly more applications than from the general application window last fall.

Not everyone was happy about the change.

Kassandra Frederique, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said during the board meeting that the licensing process was supposed to be protected from the whims of the governor.

“People want to ask why folks of color do not stand up to be in these positions as elected officials… It's because we get set up and then they cut our heads off in public. And that is what is happening to the OCM.” Frederique said of the state Office of Cannabis Management.

“It is not lost on me that for the first time we have Black leadership … We're changing the goalposts and the cannabis board was supposed to be independent to protect the intentions of the work.” — Mona Zhang

NO SPECIAL EXPECTED IN BUFFALO: Rep. Tim Kennedy took the oath of office for his new job on Monday evening, which leaves state Senate Democrats one vote shy of the 42-member supermajority they’ve enjoyed since 2021.

But senators are predicting there won’t be a special election to fill the seat before the November elections.

A 2021 law overhauled the rules for calling special elections. Governors now need to quickly call them, but they’re not allowed to do so if a vacancy is created after April 1 of an election year — unless there will be a special session sometime before January, in which case calling one is mandatory.

But that begs the question: How do we know there won’t be a special session later this year?

Albany doesn’t hold special sessions anymore. There are occasional “extraordinary” sessions — when the governor calls lawmakers back to Albany. And there are plenty of times when lawmakers come back to town to vote on issues like pay raises that are colloquially called “special sessions."

But technically, those aren’t special sessions.

Those only occur when the Legislature comes back after adjourning for the year. And the Legislature hasn’t formally adjourned before New Year’s since the 1970s, thanks to members like state Sen. Neil Breslin holding two-minute sessions in the off weeks. — Bill Mahoney

NYC IS THE ROME OF AMERICA: Mayor Eric Adams today lauded Pope Francis’ calls for migrants to be treated humanely as he kicked off a multi-day visit to Italy that will culminate in an audience with the pontiff.

“His voice on these topics will cause those who would probably traditionally ignore the topic to sit up and take note,” Adams said in a news conference from Rome, adding the pope urges people to “just look at your fellow human being as your fellow brother or sister.”

He described the pope ahead of their meeting as a “credible messenger” in parts of the world struggling with influxes of newcomers, including New York City, where 195,000 migrants have come in the past two years.

The pope has challenged anti-immigration postures in Europe and in March penned a letter to migrants in Panama calling them “the face of Christ.”

Day One of Adams’ Roman holiday has been far from restful as he toured a subway tunnel under construction near the Colosseum, a slaughterhouse that was converted into an arthouse and sat with a roundtable of Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

The Democratic mayor is visiting Rome for the World Meeting on Human Fraternity, and his travel bill is being footed by the pope’s Fondazione Fratelli Tutti, according to City Hall. — Emily Ngo

CULTURE CLUB CRIES CUTS: Do you really want to hurt them? The cultural institutions that get direct city funding say Adams didn’t restore nearly enough of their cuts, and they need another $53 million in the upcoming budget.

“Mr. Mayor, our city’s recovery is significant but fragile — and it cannot withstand uncertainty and continued cuts to culture,” reads the Culture for All petition from the Cultural Institutions Group, made up of 34 organizations ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Staten Island Zoo.

Adams cut $12 million from this year’s budget and the next in November, and another $13 million in January. The second cut was restored to fanfare last month, but the institutions want the initial cuts restored too, plus the same $40 million boost to baseline funding they fought for, and got, for last year’s budget.

The city allocated the Cultural Institutions Group about $141 million total in operating expenses for fiscal year 2024 budget.

The mayor’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment, though they have previously defended their commitment to culture, while saying across-the-board cuts were needed to balance the budget.

A City Council spokesperson said the council will be prioritizing the full restoration in the budget. — Jeff Coltin

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT: New figures released by the New York City school system shows a projected increase in enrollment for the 2024-25 year.

An additional 778,000 students are expected to be enrolled, making it the first time enrollment increased year-over-year since before 2016.

"The proof is in the enrollment projections — through a mix of new and innovative programming, engaging academics, and genuine family and student engagement, our system is bouncing back from years of declining enrollment and leading the nation in public school education,” Schools Chancellor David Banks said in a statement.

Banks attributed the increase to three programs: NYC Reads, Student Pathways and the Summer Rising program. — Shawn Ness

JAMES SIMONS, 86: Hedge fund manager James Simons passed away at the age of 86 today. A former math professor at SUNY Stony Brook, Simons made a fortune in hedge funds in recent decades.

He had become a major figure in New York state politics and policy. During Gov. David Paterson’s administration, he lobbied the state for tuition hikes for SUNY to place it on sounder financial footing. He appeared with Gov. Kathy Hochul last year to announce $500 million for Stony Brook, one of the largest charitable donations in American history.

“Jim was a brilliant mathematician and understood the important role science and math play in our future,” Stony Brook alum Carl Heastie, the Assembly speaker, said in a statement. “Throughout his life he donated billions of dollars to support grand scientific endeavors and lower barriers of access to all those dreaming of innovation.”

Simons has also repeatedly been the top donor to New York Democrats.

He and his wife have given at least $7 million to state and local level candidates and parties since 2011, including $3.9 million to the state Democratic Committee, $370,000 to Andrew Cuomo and $205,000 to Hochul. — Bill Mahoney

HOCHUL’S SOCIAL: The effort to limit kids’ exposure to social media algorithms is getting some personal involvement from Hochul.

The governor today told reporters that the measure, which is meant to block social media firms from providing algorithmic feeds to the accounts of children, is her top end-of-session priority.

And unlike some bills that pass without involvement from the governor’s office, Hochul said her legal team is working with lawmakers to craft the final details of a potential agreement by June 6.

“We will find the right balance,” she said. "We want to make sure we protect the interests of children, number one, and make sure we’re creating an environment where these companies can thrive, but within limitations.”

Opponents believe algorithmic-powered feeds can be addicting and lead to mental health problems. But social media companies have warned the proposal would create free speech violations and likely face a court challenge. — Nick Reisman

HER NO WORRIES ERA: New York Democrats want a proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the state constitution to galvanize turnout this election year. A Republican-backed challenge to its ballot status is putting a question mark on those plans.

But Hochul told reporters she is not concerned the amendment would be blocked from the ballot this November over procedural grounds.

The proposal would enshrine a broad array of rights such as the right to an abortion in the state constitution. Republicans won the first round of a lawsuit over the amendment’s placement on the ballot in a ruling that’s almost certain to be appealed.

The amendment is considered a key piece of the Democratic efforts to retake the House with the party trying to flip five seats in New York and take power in the narrowly divided chamber.

But even if the amendment is taken off the ballot, Hochul believes Democrats have a stable of issues to run on, including housing, anti-retail theft measures and cracking down on illegal cannabis businesses.

“There will be plenty of messaging that the Democrats can and will lean on — not the least of which is our strong support of reproductive rights,” she said. — Nick Reisman

— A newer, bigger, better bottle bill is facing the same old problems. (POLITICO Pro)

— Orange County is the latest county to sue the state over proposals to host local elections in even-numbered years. (Times Union)

— State Democrats are sure that the decision to toss out the Equal Rights Amendment will be challenged in the state’s highest court. (POLITICO Pro)

Trump: Jews should be ‘ashamed’ if they vote for Biden

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