Biden jumps into New York news cyclone

Presented by NY Renews, a project of Tides Advocacy

A Manhattan jury found a former president responsible for sexual abuse, a Long Island congressman and serial fabricator is expected to be hit with criminal charges, and the governor declared a state of emergency because no one knows what to do with thousands of migrants pouring into the state.

Joe Biden chose a great day to visit New York.

The president is starting out his Empire State visit in Valhalla at SUNY Westchester Community College this morning. The goal, according to both the White House and Biden’s host, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, is to blast Republicans’ spending plans amid gridlocked negotiations on averting an economically catastrophic debt default.

Biden will “discuss why Congress must avoid default immediately and without conditions, and how the House Republican Default on America Act will cut veterans’ health care visits, teachers and school support staffs, and Meals on Wheels for seniors,” according to the White House.

The Lower Hudson Valley (definitely not Upstate) is beautiful this time of year, but that’s not why Biden’s headed there. Those suburbs were one of the few places in the nation where GOP congressional candidates beat expectations during last year’s midterms. They will be critical for Democrats as they try to win back control of the House in 2024.

It’s a visit that puts the Hudson Valley’s moderate Republicans, who narrowly won a handful of toss-up seats six months ago, back on the defensive fairly early in the campaign cycle.

The economic tremors associated with a busted debt ceiling could be felt quickly by their constituents, so the issue’s partisan nature may serve to push lawmakers like Rep. Marc Molinaro and Rep. Mike Lawler toward more centrist positions they need for reelection.

They’re not thrilled. Molinaro called Biden’s visit “exactly the wrong message” for the president to send.

“I think most Americans see the highest rate of inflation in 40 years, the debt crisis, spending crisis and a border crisis,” he said. “And the president’s hopping on Air Force One to go siphon campaign dollars out of New York City, and then deliver partisan speeches in the marginal congressional districts. Frankly, there’s plenty of time for that. Right now, he ought to be engaged in negotiation on any one of those fronts.”

Lawler, who said he plans to attend Biden’s event today, also called for a commitment to compromise rather than campaign-style events. That was Biden’s style when he was senator and vice president during negotiations for similar crises, Lawler suggested.

The president plans to hit New York City after the suburbs to attend a handful of limited press campaign receptions.

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

WHERE’S KATHY? No public schedule by press time.

WHERE’S ERIC? In New York City giving a speech on the death of Jordan Neely. Then he will meet with members of New Zealand’s parliament who are in the city before delivering remarks at Teach NYS’s annual dinner.

TRUMP'S NEW YORK

Jury finds Trump liable for sexual abuse in E. Jean Carroll case, by POLITICO’s Erica Orden and Wesley Parnell: A federal jury on Tuesday found that Donald Trump sexually abused and defamed E. Jean Carroll, a writer who accused the former president of attacking her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s. The verdict marks the first time that Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than two dozen women, has been held legally responsible for sexual assault. And it adds fresh tarnish to the former president’s reputation as he seeks to regain the White House amid a tide of legal troubles.

FROM THE DELEGATION

“Exclusive: Rep. George Santos charged by Justice Department in federal probe,” by CNN’s Mark Morales, Evan Perez and Gregory Krieg: “Federal prosecutors have filed criminal charges against New York Rep. George Santos, the Republican lawmaker whose astonishing pattern of lies and fabrications stunned even hardened politicos, according to three sources familiar with the matter. Santos is expected to appear as soon as Wednesday at federal court in New York’s eastern district, where the charges have been filed under seal.”

New Jersey representatives vow fight against New York’s ‘cash-grabbing’ congestion pricing plan, by POLITICO’s Caroline Petrow-Cohen: New York’s congestion pricing plan would harm New Jersey residents by pushing traffic and air pollution into communities surrounding the city, two Democratic members of Congress from North Jersey said Tuesday.

What City Hall's reading

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Ahead of a Council budget hearing today focused on immigration, city Comptroller Brad Lander and Council Member Shahana Hanif, who chairs the Committee on Immigration, penned a letter to Mayor Eric Adams asking for an additional $70 million to pay for legal services for asylum seekers.

The May 9 letter, a copy of which was provided to POLITICO, argues the funding would help many migrants file their asylum claims ahead of a one-year deadline and assist with obtaining work authorization. “With a dedicated all-hands outreach effort and an investment of $70 million for legal services, the City can significantly reduce the shelter length of stay, redeploy existing shelter space for people newly in need or newly arrived, reduce the number of people otherwise in the shelter system, and save significantly on the costs of operating shelters,” Lander and Hanif wrote. — Joe Anuta

“Grand jury remains unclear for Jordan Neely case a week after chokehold killing,” by WNYC’s Matt Katz: “One week after Daniel Penny put Jordan Neely in a deadly chokehold on the F train, some New Yorkers — most visibly protesters who occupied subway tracks — are impatiently waiting for charges in the case. ‘A week seems like a long time to some, but it’s not as important as getting to the right decision on charging using the right process,’ said Cy Vance, the former Manhattan District Attorney, in an interview. ‘And that requires more time, often, than some people feel is justified. But generally speaking, it’s a longer process than people appreciate.’”

— “Adams Says ‘Agitators That Came From Outside Our City’ Planted Molotov Cocktail at Protest Against Jordan Neely’s Killing,” by THE CITY’s Gwynne Hogan and Katie Honan: “Police tweeted out a photo of a glass Topo Chico soda bottle with what appeared to be a rag inside early Tuesday morning, several hours after a violent crackdown on protesters in Lower Manhattan where 13 demonstrators including a photojournalist were arrested.”

— OPINION: “Now That You Mention It, Topo Chico Is a Strong Contender for Drink of the Summer,” by Hell Gate’s Adlan Jackson

— “In a Case Resembling Jordan Neely’s Killing, an Arrest Came Quickly,” by The New York Times’ Maria Cramer and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs: “As prosecutors in New York weigh charges in the killing of Jordan Neely, a similar case in San Diego, Calif., last year resulted in an involuntary manslaughter charge.”

UHHH: “Hiram Monserrate can run again, after judge strikes down law,” by City & State’s Jeff Coltin: “The council passed a law in 2021 disqualifying people convicted of certain corruption charges from running for elected office in the city — a law that was pretty clearly meant to ban the Queens Democrat from running. But Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Machelle Sweeting ruled that the law didn’t apply to Monserrate, since it wasn’t written in a way to specifically apply to previous convictions and therefore could only apply to corruption convictions that occurred after the law was passed.”

— Background from NYT’s Vivian Wang in 2020: “He Assaulted His Girlfriend. Now He Wants a Political Comeback.”

“New York Is Forcing Schools to Change How They Teach Children to Read,” by The New York Times’ Troy Closson: “Over the next two years, the city’s 32 local school districts will adopt one of three curriculums selected by their superintendents. The curriculums use evidence-supported practices, including phonics — which teaches children how to decode letter sounds — and avoid strategies many reading experts say are flawed, like teaching children to use picture clues to guess words. The move represents a sea change in a city where principals have historically retained authority over approaches to teaching at their individual schools.”

WHAT ALBANY'S READING

“Hochul emergency orders will activate 500 more National Guardsman, speed up $1B in aid in effort to ease NYC migrant crisis,” by New York Post’s Carl Campanile and Bernadette Hogan: “One of Hochul’s emergency orders will boost the number of National Guard reservists to help handle the flow of migrants in the city by 500 — from 1,000 to 1,500. The reservists will help city officials manage entry points such as Manhattan’s Port Authority bus terminal, as well as processing centers and migrant shelters. The second order will cut red tape to accelerate the release of $1 billion in state funds already promised to the city in Albany’s new budget.”

— “Hudson Valley officials incensed over NYC plan to bus in migrants,” by Times Union’s Lana Bellamy

— The Daily News reports the city will send 30 asylum seekers each to Rockland and Orange counties today. Legal challenges may hold up the process going forward, though.

— “The federal government, frankly, has to do something to help all of our municipalities,’ Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins told reporters in the Capitol. ‘This is not something any individual municipality can manage on their own.’” via Spectrum’s Nick Reisman

“Jurors dismissed, DA scolded, marijuana use forbidden as limo case gets chaotic,” by Times Union’s Larry Rulison: “Another juror and an alternate were dismissed Tuesday. Schoharie County District Attorney Susan Mallery took heat for failing to disclose the criminal histories of her witnesses. The judge reminded the remaining jurors they cannot use marijuana before court. It’s Day Two of testimony in the Schoharie limousine crash trial and things are already messy.”

#UpstateAmerica: The State Fair has booked Ludacris.

AROUND NEW YORK

— The Coca-Cola company will build a $650 million fairlife production facility in Monroe County.

— Billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen spent nearly $100,000 on lobbyists in the first two months of the year trying to get council members behind his bid for Citi Field Casino.

— A Bronx judge, who has a history of complaints against him, freed a man after reversing course twice on the shooting convictions.

— A filing from the U.S. attorney’s office indicates more arrests could come in the Rensselaer County ballot fraud case.

— “The COVID Emergency Ends This Week. What Happens Now?”

SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Bloomberg News’ Craig Gordon … N.Y. Mag’s Gabe Debenedetti … Punchbowl’s Andrew Desiderio … 5BORO Institute’s Grace Rauh … Adam Janofsky … Maggie Karchmer of Wiley Rein … former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) … CNN’s Jeremy Herb … Lucy Jackson … (was Sunday): Sandy Eisen

MAKING MOVES — Rebecca Goodman-Stephens has been named CEO of Moses Singer LLP. She most recently was COO of accounting firm Berdon LLP. … Actum has announced a slew of promotions in its New York office: Terence Cullen, Paul Persaud and Brent Petrone have been promoted to SVP, Savannah Farrell to VP and Emma Brodsky to director.

Real Estate

“Innovation QNS Fallout Rains on LIC City Council Contest,” by THE CITY’s Haidee Chu: “At issue is Won’s conduct in the fight last year over Innovation QNS, a $2 billion development project near Northern Boulevard expected to yield 3,200 apartments on what was once a largely commercial and industrial strip. Won opposed the project, only to relent as it came to a Council vote and developers Silverstein Properties, BedRock Real Estate Partners and Kaufman Astoria Studios agreed to increase the share of affordable units.”

Another village down: “Coxsackie to ban new short-term rentals outside village center,” by Times Union’s Roger Hannigan Gilson: “Coxsackie Mayor Mark Evans, who was re-elected last month for his eighth term, said he had talked to town leaders in the Conference of Mayors who had enacted vacation-rental limits and told him he had to address the issue now. ‘We didn’t want to be behind the curve,’ Evans said.”