6 minute read
FIRST READ
President Joe Biden announced federal assistance for New York City as it creates temporary housing at Randall’s Island for an influx of migrants to the region.
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– New York City schools Chancellor David Banks, on a lack of teachers for newly arrived asylumseekers, via the New York Post
SOME MIGRANT RELIEF ON ITS WAY
President Joe Biden offered the first federal assistance for New York City as it faces a continued migrant crisis as Southern states send asylum-seekers up north. He announced a new (sort of, it’s similar to former President Donald Trump’s) border policy meant to stem the flow of migrants from Venezuela, one that would require Venezuelans – who make up a large number of the influx of migrants to the city – who enter the country illegally to get sent back to Mexico. Those seeking asylum would need to secure a sponsor and go through public safety screenings before being allowed into the country. Both New York City Mayor Eric
A COMPLICATED MARCH
Christopher Columbus hasn’t been completely canceled yet. New York’s top Democratic elected officials were out in full force for the Columbus Day parade to celebrate Italian American heritage, despite suggestions from some Republican lawmakers that Democrats were trying to “cancel” the violent explorer in recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day. Gov. Kathy Hochul may not have tweeted about Columbus Day, but she marched behind il Tricolore.
– New York City Mayor Eric Adams, eager to project goodwill while announcing a new life sciences hub with Gov. Kathy Hochul Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul applauded the move from the president, although it does little to assist with the nearly 20,000 migrants that have come to the city in recent weeks.
SHOOTING NEAR LEE ZELDIN’S HOME
Two teenagers were shot and injured outside Rep. Lee Zeldin’s home on Long Island, leaving his twin daughters – who were home alone at the time of the incident – shaken though unharmed. Zeldin quickly used the shooting as a personal rallying cry around combating crime in the state, the cornerstone of his gubernatorial campaign so far. Although he denied politicizing the event, it easily played into his campaign messaging that New York has become unsafe as high-profile instances of violent crime increase even as overall crime remains at near record lows. Shortly after the shooting, though conducted beforehand, a new poll from Marist College showed the race for governor tightening. It placed Zeldin within 10 percentage points of Hochul, 8 when undecided voters were asked to make a decision based on who they leaned toward. That’s a far closer margin than the last major public poll from Siena College, which had Hochul leading by 17 percentage points.
GUN LAWS TO STAY IN PLACE – FOR NOW
The state got a small victory when a federal appeals court ruled against a temporary restraining order that would have immediately halted the enforcement of new concealed carry gun laws in New York City. A lower court found several parts of the law unconstitutional and granted the injunction as the state appealed the decision. The state still has a long fight ahead of it as it challenges the lower court ruling, and many expect that case to wind up in the Supreme Court, but the full law will remain in effect while that battle wages.
NEW YORK’S BATTLE AGAINST TRUMP
State Attorney General Letitia James took a significant new step in her ongoing legal battle against Trump and his business dealings in New York. She asked a judge to freeze Trump Organization assets in the state and to appoint an independent monitor in her civil lawsuit. James asserted that in order to avoid legal repercussions, Trump has begun moving his New York business assets out of state and out of the jurisdiction of the court. The former president recently created a new company in Delaware also called the Trump Organization, although it filed paperwork to be recognized as the Trump Organization II in New York. James pointed to this new business formation and questioned its purpose, making the case that Trump was attempting to shift his business out of state where New York laws can’t reach it.
Former President Donald Trump has started moving his business assets out of state amid an ongoing legal battle with state Attorney General Letitia James.
Maloney-Lawler square off in debate
The two candidates in the closely watched race for the 17th Congressional District swung into defense mode amid attacks from each other about the economy and climate change during a Wednesday night debate hosted by the League of Women Voters of Westchester.
For months, the candidates for the Lower Hudson Valley seat have been highlighting their own key issues. Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney has prioritized gun safety and abortion rights, while Republican Assembly Member Mike Lawler has focused much of his campaign on crime and inflation.
When asked by the moderator about the economy, Lawler said he would cut back on excessive spending while accusing Maloney and President Joe Biden of driving inflation. “The first thing I would do is reverse the ‘Inflation Expansion Act’, which Sean Maloney voted for. He voted to increase taxes on middle-class families at a time of recession,” said Lawler, while misnaming the Inflation Reduction Act.
Maloney defended his support of the bill, touting its Medicare provisions and capping prescription drug prices. The member of Congress accused Lawler and Republicans of being against it because Lawler was in the “deep pocket of the big pharmaceutical companies” – who Maloney said spent millions of dollars against him. “That is the most important thing protecting Social Security and Medicare for working middle-class families. If Mike Lawler gets his way, they’ll go after the Affordable Care Act, they’re going to go after Social Security and Medicare,” Maloney said. “Mike Lawler should be ashamed of himself playing politics with this issue.” When asked about the legislation he would propose to address climate change, Maloney continued his criticisms of Lawler being against the Inflation Reduction Act. He pointed to the act’s plan to reduce emissions by creating green energy jobs. “Millions of good jobs are going to be created in this country. Energy is going to be cheaper and more plentiful while we save the climate. That’s because of tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act,” Maloney said.
The representative also pointed to Lawler’s time spent working as a lobbyist for the fossil fuel industry. “While I was out there banning oil barge anchorages on the Hudson River, Mike Lawler was literally trading political influence for money as a lobbyist,” Maloney said. – Shantel Destra
THE WEEK AHEAD
TUESDAY 10/18
The Assembly Children and Families Committee holds a public hearing at 10 a.m. in the Legislative Office Building to discuss child abuse and maltreatment prevention programs. WEDNESDAY 10/19
City & State hosts the New York City 40 Under 40 reception for all the Rising Stars in city politics from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 42 d’Or in Manhattan. INSIDE DOPE
Keynote speakers include congressional candidate Dan Goldman, Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar and City Council Member Marjorie Velázquez THURSDAY 10/20
The New York City Council holds a 10 a.m. oversight hearing at City Hall on evaluating the current challenges with COVID-19.
