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Michael Johnson
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Posts by Michael Johnson
Robert Megna and Stephen Acquario
Jul 7th - 12:55 pm
NYS Budget Director Robert Megna and NYS Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen Acquario discuss the state’s current fiscal situation, and the delayed payments to county governments across the state.
Part 1 –
Part 2 –
Espada Signs NY Uprising Pledge (But Can’t Win Koch Over)
Jul 1st - 10:37 am
Former NYC Mayor Ed Koch has converted a sinner into a saint.
(Those are his words, not ours).
In a news release, Koch’s reform group NY Uprising announced they have accepted a signed pledge from Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Jr. The former Mayor went on to issue a challenge to all other lawmakers who haven’t signed the pledge.
“If Espada Can Commit to These Reforms, it’s the Least You Can Do,” said Koch, who has set a July 21st deadline for legislators, and those running for office to sign his pledge, or be dubbed “enemies” of reform.
“When the legislator most identified in the media with scandal and corruption publicly recognizes the need to change the way Albany does business, that’s a powerful statement.”
“And with his signature, the refusal of some candidates – incumbents and challengers alike – to sign the pledge and support these reforms says even more about their candidacies, their beliefs, their ethics, and their obviously utter contempt for the people of our state.”
Koch made it clear that if he lived in Espada’s district, he would not vote for the scandal-scarred Bronx Democrat, who has been slapped with two civil lawsuits by AG Andrew Cuomo and remains under investigation for allegedly bilking his Soundview nonprofit out of millions of dollars.
Espada also shouldn’t expect Koch to endorse him anytime soon. “Never,” said the former mayor, who has pledged to stump statewide for the “heroes” of reform who have signed the NY Uprising pledges.
“But when these measures come to the floor for a vote, do we want him to do the right thing and support real reforms to clean up Albany? For as long as he’s a sitting member of the Legislature, we certainly do.”
Espada, whose two primary challengers, Desiree Pilgrim Hunter and Gustavo Rivera, have already signed Koch’s pledges, is the target of another reform PAC, the New Roosevelt Initiative, which is run by former LG candidate Bill Samuels.
The Insiders
Jun 30th - 3:33 pm
Veterans of the Albany political scene, Bruce Gyory and Dave Catalfamo, debate week’s top stories.
PART 1:
PART 2:
Senator DeFrancisco Discusses Budget
Jun 29th - 2:38 pm
Senator John DeFrancisco joined us live on Monday night to talk about the budget bills that passed the legislature.
Schumer: Cuomo Not A Shoo-In
Jun 29th - 9:51 am
Yesterday following the Kagan Hearings, NY1′s Josh Robin caught up with Senator Schumer, and asked him about several topics, including the prospects for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo.
Robin asked the senior senator if the Attorney General is a “shoo-in” for governor. Schumer suggested all candidates running this year are vulnerable.
“Number one. Anyone who is running at any time, but particularly this year, who considers themselves a shoe-in ought to change their view. These are tumultuous times. He’s not a shoe-in. No one is a shoo-in.”
Schumer went on to say Cuomo was gutsy to put out such a detailed reform agenda in his campaign launch. “Very detailed. Shows real reform. It is really gutsy to do some of the things he has done. Goes against the grain. And I think it is what New York needs, so I think he is stepping out very well.”
Paterson And Scozzafava On Earthquake
Jun 23rd - 3:25 pm
Gov. David Paterson briefly addressed the breaking news about the 5.0 earthquake that hit North of Ottawa around 1:45 p.m. today.
Capital Tonight’s Kailtyn Ross reports that after a closed-door leaders meeting, Paterson emerged and said he “hopes no one was hurt.”
He then said he was waiting to be briefed on the developments before saying any more.
Ross also spoke to North Country Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, who said people in her district office reported being badly shaken up by the quake.
But luckily, there is no report of damage or injuries from Scozzafava’s constituents.
Several people at the Capitol reported feeling vibrations from the earthquake as well.
Some outlets are reporting the quake was 5.5 or 5.7 on the Richter scale, but most recent update from the US Geological Survey pegs it at a 5.0.
According to the USGS, earthquakes between 5.0 and 5.9 are listed as moderate, and “can cause major damage to poorly constructed buildings over small regions. At most slight damage to well-designed buildings.”
Cuomo Weighs In On Budget
Jun 23rd - 2:07 pm
One day after a Q poll found that most New Yorkers would like to hear more specifics from AG Andrew Cuomo about how he’d solve the state’s fiscal woes, the Democratic candidate for governor weighed in on some of the more pressing budget issues during a stop in Buffalo this morning.
Cuomo was asked if he supports the cigarette taxes in the last budget extender, or the additional taxes that Gov. David Paterson is threatening to include in his next extender (assuming the legislative leaders’ predicted pre-June 28 deal doesn’t come to fruition).
The AG responded that he is definitely anti-tax. Period. End of story.
He was also asked if he supports the SUNY expansion plan that appears to be a budget sticking point.
“I support, here in Western New York there is a proposal called UB 2020, which I think is very exciting,” Cuomo said.
“I support that proposal. Part of that proposal is a plan that would have an effect in Buffalo. But also all across the state, that would allow flexible tuition payments for SUNY Schools, where some SUNY schools could charge a higher tuition if they could get it. I support that also.”
Cuomo Gets The Drug Question
Jun 21st - 2:32 pm
AG Andrew Cuomo continued his series of non-campaign related press availabilities today, announcing a new initiative to crack down on child pornography.
The Democratic gubernatorial candidate discussed how his office has used “hash values” (basically a collection of numerical data from the internet) to help create a database of child pornography.
The use of the word “hash” piqued the interest of NY1′s Josh Robin, and he asked Cuomo if he has ever smoked hash. The AG laughed at what prompted the inquiry.
“What I have said. The question has come up before. What I have said, is I did experiment with marijuana when I was a youth,” Cuomo said.
“In no way do I suggest that any young people should do any experimentation whatsoever.”
The rest of the exchange went as follows:
JOSH: “That’s the only illicit drug?”
CUOMO: ‘Yes sir.”
(Recall that Gov. David Paterson admitted on live TV not long after he ascended in the wake of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s prostitution scandal that he did both cocaine and pot when he was in his 20s).
GOP Candidates Rick Lazio and Carl Paladino have yet to answer the question publicly, though I do not recall if they have ever been asked.
Ian’s Law Passes Senate
Jun 18th - 8:55 pm
This week, the State Senate passed Ian’s law, a bill named for 37-year-old Ian Pearl, who was dropped by his insurance company because his health problems cost too much. We talk to Ian’s mom, Susan Pearl, and Senate sponsor Neil Breslin.
Sampson: That Memo Was Public
Jun 18th - 5:36 pm
CapTon’s Mike Whittemore caught up with Senate Democratic Conference Leader John Sampson earlier today to get his reaction to the spate of bad news stories over the past 24 hours of which he was the focus.
Sampson declined to comment at length on the Post report that he leaked a allegedly confidential Senate memo to the politically connected AEG, providing the firm with information that helped it win the first Aqueduct racino contract.
He did, however, more or less confirm that he had indeed provided AEG with the document and expressed a difference of opinion with the IG on whether the memo was, in fact, not for public consumption.
“It is still an ongoing investigation by the IG’s office,” the leader said.
“At this point and time, with respect to that issue still being investigated. And there is a determination, if you look at it. The documentation that anybody is talking about is confidential or private.”
“So, I have to wait for the IG to investigate before I can comment any further.”
Sampson’s response to the Crain’s story that he intervened to assist an agency connected to his sister was a little odd. He insisted he knew nothing about the report, adding: “Me and my sister don’t speak very much…We got our differences.”
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