Better luck the second time

Presented by NY Renews, a project of Tides Advocacy

If the first few months of the year taught Gov. Kathy Hochul anything, it was how not to pick a chief judge.

Lesson learned.

Today, Hochul’s second pick to fill the spot, Rowan Wilson, is expected to be confirmed today by the full Senate. His hearing in front of the Judiciary Committee yesterday lasted about three hours, but resulted in (mostly party-line) approval, a sunnier conclusion than that of his twice-rejected predecessor, Hector LaSalle.

Judiciary Committee Chair Brad Hoylman-Sigal — who in January lambasted LaSalle’s record as “hurtful” and leaning “against civil rights” — on Monday commended Wilson’s “poise” and “grace under pressure.” “The Democratic conference is foursquare behind him,” Hoylman-Sigal said.

Wilson, 62, sits on the Court of Appeals and, if confirmed, would be New York’s first Black chief judge. On Monday he vowed to run the state’s highest court — and the rest of New York’s massive court system — differently than former Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, whose conservative tilt dismayed Democrats.

If the full chamber OKs Wilson, the Judiciary is set to review another Hochul pick — former solicitor general Caitlin Halligan — to fill the lower seat on the Court of Appeals that Wilson would give up. Halligan, who is in private practice, has a bevy of state and national liberal legal credentials. And… she also represented Chevron in its pursuit of racketeering charges against the human rights lawyer Steven Donziger, reports New York Focus. Expect stuff like that to come up in the hearing.

Republicans don’t like the deal that gave Hochul the power to fill the vacancy created by her Wilson pick, and have threatened legal action, which would probably need to happen at some point in between Wilson and Halligan’s respective promotions.

All of this gives everyone something to do in Albany as we wait around for the über-late budget. While the sides suggest they’re making slow progress, rank-and-file members still say their presence is hardly necessary. Full conferences haven’t been a part of negotiations, which still involve hundreds of open issues.

The brief extender lawmakers passed yesterday that runs til Thursday was described by a number of lawmakers and their staff in variations of “very dumb,” as most expect they will again blow through that deadline and into next week.

IT’S TUESDAY. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: [email protected] or on Twitter: @annagronewold

WHERE’S KATHY? In Albany with no announced public schedule.

WHERE’S ERIC? In New York City hosting a roundtable of Indian CEOs and meeting virtually with U.S. Navy Admiral Christopher Gray ahead of New York City Fleet Week. Then, the mayor, New York City Police Department Commissioner Keechant Sewell, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will make a public safety-related announcement. In the evening, the mayor and NYC Service will host a Mayoral Service Recognition Ceremony and the mayor will deliver remarks at the New York City Central Labor Council’s Annual Awards Reception. Finally, the mayor will deliver remarks at Maekyung Media Group, Korea Finance Society, and Korea Society’s Global Financial Leaders 2023 Forum.

DAYS THE STATE BUDGET IS LATE: 18

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I put my statement out and am focusing on doing the work.” — Assemblymember Juan Ardila caught in an elevator with the New York Post in response to repeated questions regarding accusations against him of sexual misconduct.

WHAT CITY HALL IS READING

“Brooklyn Assembly Member accuses Michael Ragusa’s City Council campaign of forging his signature,” by City and State’s Jeff Coltin: “Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny’s name and signature is on southern Brooklyn City Council candidate Michael Ragusa’s petitions – but the Republican lawmaker says he never signed it, and is asking the Brooklyn district attorney to investigate Ragusa’s campaign for fraud.”

Mental health crisis response pilot expands, despite ongoing struggles, by POLITICO’s Maya Kaufman: Mayor Eric Adams’ administration has forged ahead with his predecessor’s plan to extend the pilot citywide, despite calls from B-HEARD’s most vocal supporters to tap the brakes and reassess the program.

“‘We mean business': MTA’s largest union starts contract negotiations,” by WNYC’s Stephen Nessen: “Contract negotiations kicked off Monday between the MTA and Transport Workers Union Local 100, which represents a majority of the agency’s workforce. Local 100 President Richard Davis said he gave the union’s demands to MTA leadership, which he said include wage increases that align with inflation as well as improved health care and mental health benefits.”

“Why New York’s (Mostly) Vegan Mayor Wants to Cut the City’s Meat Budget,” by The New York Times’ Dana Rubenstein: “In 2021, during the last year of Bill de Blasio’s mayoralty, the city committed to cutting its food-related emissions by 25 percent by 2030. Monday’s announcement increased that commitment to 33 percent…The announcement is the latest development in Mr. Adams’s longstanding interest in vegetarianism, but it also represents an unusually frank admission from a national political leader that Americans will have to eat differently if they want to rein in climate change.”

OPINION: “The Cream Cheese Stuffed ‘Tax-Free Bagel’ Is a Crime Against Nature, NYC,” by Hell Gate’s Christopher Robbins: “This bagel is unnervingly supple as well as damned.”

WHAT ALBANY'S READING

HOW BAIL TALKS ARE GOING: “... the compromise won’t be exactly what Hochul had originally proposed. The language in her executive budget would have removed both the ‘least restrictive means’ standard and the ‘return to court’ standard for setting bail generally. The source said that the ‘return to court’ standard will stay in place as part of the compromise.” via City & State’s Rebecca C. Lewis

“State launches ‘targeted violence prevention’ strategy,” by Times Union’ Joshua Solomon: “The plan released Monday represents a ‘pivot from the post-9/11 mindset’ to a ‘broader view of targeted violence that acknowledges the diversity of threats facing our state, includes further emphasis on domestic terrorism and explicitly calls for a multidisciplinary approach that invests in not only law enforcement but also the social supports required for healthy communities.’”

“Native American Mascots Are on Their Way Out. Some Schools Aren’t Happy,” by The New York Times’ Jesse McKinley: “Everywhere you look on the campus of Mohonasen Central School District, there are indications of Indigenous tradition: on street signs, in logos made up of arrows and feathers, and — most centrally — in the profiles of three American Indian men, the emblem of the school’s team name, the Warriors. But under a new policy expected to be approved by the state Board of Regents on Tuesday, that nickname may soon have to be changed, part of a nationwide effort to eliminate mascots and logos containing racially insensitive images or words.”

#UpstateAmerica: An earthquake woke the Watertown area last week.

TRUMP'S NEW YORK

“Judge Refuses to Grant Trump Delay in Trial of Suit Accusing Him of Rape,” by The New York Times’ Benjamin Weiser: “Lawyers for Mr. Trump had sought to postpone the trial, scheduled to begin on April 25, because of what they called a ‘deluge of prejudicial media coverage’ concerning his recent indictment in Manhattan. The judge, Lewis A. Kaplan of Federal District Court, said there was no justification for a postponement of the trial, noting that the news coverage was largely — though not entirely — ‘invited or provoked by Mr. Trump’s own actions.’”

FROM THE DELEGATION

— ‘Hypocrisy': New York Democrats deride Judiciary Committee’s Manhattan hearing, by POLITICO’s Zachary Schermele: New York Democrats condemned the GOP-led House Judiciary Committee’s hearing in Manhattan on Monday as an attempt to undermine the credibility of the district attorney investigating former President Donald Trump. They blasted the proceedings as a political stunt while also defending New York’s crime rates. “I think it’s the highest level of hypocrisy,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on MSNBC.

— “The GOP is slamming NYC as a crime-ridden hellhole; here’s why,” by Daily News’ Michael McAuliff, Chris Sommerfeldt and Tim Balk: “The congressional anti-Alvin Bragg brigade released a bleak and dramatic video on Monday presenting New York as a crime-infested hellhole as Republican lawmakers launched into a lower Manhattan hearing intended to tar the Democratic district attorney.”

THE HEADLINES SAY IT ALL:

New York Post: “Lying NY Rep. George Santos announces 2024 re-election bid” … WaPo: “Rep. Santos, whose lies triggered investigations, to seek reelection” … MSNBC: “Prolific liar Rep. George Santos announces re-election bid” … ABC News: “George Santos announces reelection bid amid multiple scandals” … Vox: George Santos is running for reelection — despite everything

AROUND NEW YORK

— A ProPublica investigation found that prosecutors in Westchester County ignored evidence of years worth of mistranslated DWI warnings, according to records.

— New York state took in nearly $3 billion more in taxes than expected.

— Two people have been charged with operating a secret police station in Manhattan’s Chinatown with a mission to repress Chinese dissidents living in the United States.

— A decision from the state to potentially reconsider Regents exams is expected to come in November, months earlier than originally expected, officials confirmed Monday.

— The state Education Department has proposed “clarifying” and adding limits on how and when students can be physically restrained or placed in seclusion.

SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Evan Ryan … White House’s Kelsey Donohue … Kayleigh McEnany … Ben Chang … Rick Kaplan … Erin Weibel … MSNBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin … Ryan Sager … John Bello … (was Monday): Richard Epstein ... Nadya Belenkiy ... Steve Somers ... Angelo Roefaro ... Joshua A. Tucker ... (was Sunday): David Zalaznick … (was Saturday): Charles Fried … Avital Ronell ... Susan Weber ... Carly Zakin ... Deborah R. Liebman ... Sander R. Gerber ... (was Friday): Elisse B. Walter

MEDIAWATCH — Kelly Laco has been appointed executive editor for politics at DailyMail.com. She previously was politics editor at Fox News Digital. … Katherine Doyle has joined NBC News’ digital team to cover the White House. She most recently was a White House reporter for the Washington Examiner. … Ben Feuerherd is joining The Messenger to be a federal court reporter. He previously was a federal court reporter at the NY Post.

MAKING MOVES — Leela Najafi is leaving Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office, where she’s been nominations director and helped oversee hundreds of nominees getting confirmed by the Senate. She’s joining a startup financial firm in NYC. … Holly Iverson Hayden is now director of public policy for Nomi Health where she will oversee the company’s policy and regulatory efforts. She most recently was a local and state government relations and community engagement manager at Verizon.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Hannah Hess, associate director of Rhodium Group’s Climate Impact Lab, and Peter McCarron, senior technical marketing engineer at Launch Darkly, on Easter Sunday welcomed Remi Jean McCarron, who came in 6 lbs 14 oz, 19.75 inches and whose middle name matches that of her maternal and paternal great grandmothers. Pic ... Pic of their dog Margot meeting her

Real Estate


“HUD kicks in $60 million for NYC homeless help,” by Daily News’ Téa Kvetenadze: “The grant will go to New York City Continuum of Care, a broad coalition of housing and government groups that works to end homelessness. The largest chunk, $13.6 million, is earmarked for the Department of Homeless Services — a drop in the bucket of the agency’s $2.2 billion budget for 2023.”

“This Brooklyn tenant is caught in the middle of a foreclosure, and faces eviction from her apartment without ‘Good Cause,’” by amNY’s Ethan Stark-Miller: “King — a nanny who immigrated to New York from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — is currently facing eviction from the building’s new owner, who acquired the property after it was foreclosed upon. Despite making her monthly rent payments, her attorneys at the Legal Aid Society noted, the building’s new owner can nonetheless force her to leave under current law.”