Source: Politics<\/p>\n
With help from Amira McKee<\/p>\n
THE UNI-TEA: Brooklyn Democrats can be a fractious, feuding bunch. Today, for a short while at least, they buried the hatchet.<\/p>\n
Bitter rivals stood side by side in boisterous support of Zohran Mamdani at the Flatbush Gardens housing complex, the second stop of the Democratic mayoral nominee\u2019s \u201cFive Boroughs Against Trump\u201d tour.<\/p>\n
The group included the leader of the Kings County Democratic Party and members of the New Kings Democrats faction, which sprung up as the reformist response<\/a> to county bosses. It featured moderate Democrats as well as progressives and democratic socialists.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst of all, media, I need you to understand what\u2019s going on right now because I don\u2019t think this group of people agree about nothing,\u201d Public Advocate Jumaane Williams observed to chuckles before he launched into his remarks.<\/p>\n Williams said New York Democrats more broadly should follow their example in supporting the party\u2019s nominee for mayor. Key party and Brooklyn leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries<\/a> and Rep. Yvette Clarke, were not in attendance and have yet to endorse Mamdani.<\/p>\n Mamdani defeated Andrew Cuomo<\/a> in the Democratic primary seven weeks ago, but many in his party say they still don\u2019t know the young Queens state assemblymember well enough to get behind him. Some say his proposals to freeze rent and make buses free are too unrealistic. Others cite his criticisms of Israel and his reluctance to condemn the phrase \u201cglobalize the intifada\u201d<\/a> as reasons for concern. Mamdani has struggled to shore up support among politically moderate Black and Jewish voters.<\/p>\n For House Democrats focused on winning the majority next year, there\u2019s additionally the concern that having a democratic socialist as the face of the party<\/a> could hurt moderate Democrats in suburban battlegrounds.<\/p>\n But their colleagues in state and city government said today in central Brooklyn that the party needs Mamdani to face President Donald Trump.<\/a><\/p>\n State Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, chair of the county party, endorsed Eric Adams in 2021, Cuomo in this year\u2019s primary and Mamdani immediately after<\/a> he trounced the former governor in June by nearly 13 points.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople just don\u2019t understand that we all want the same thing,\u201d Bichotte Hermelyn told Playbook, referring to Brooklyn Democrats. \u201cThe little political fights, it\u2019s just surface. But we all want affordability. We\u2019re all fighting for a working class, we want equity, we want fairness.\u201d<\/p>\n The vibe had enough kumbaya to it that Bichotte Hermelyn and City Council Member Justin Brannan stood next to each other. Yes, the same two Democrats who waged one of the nastiest intraparty clashes in recent memory during Brannan\u2019s 2023 campaign. (She revived bullying accusations<\/a> against him, he won without<\/a> party resources and concluded on election night that she\u2019s \u201cgotta go.\u201d<\/a>)<\/p>\n Progressive New Kings members had praise for both Mamdani and Bichotte Hermelyn in explaining how a diverse cross-section of Democrats could get on the same page.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s indicative of his campaign and who he is,\u201d Council Member Crystal Hudson said of Mamdani. \u201cIf all of us can come together behind him, he\u2019s doing something.\u201d<\/p>\n Council Member Chi Oss\u00e9 told Playbook, \u201cI really do applaud Rodneyse on immediately getting into lockstep and showing that Democratic unity is important here. … I think the entire party needs to continue doing what we\u2019re doing in there.\u201d \u2014 Emily Ngo<\/p>\n GOP SPLIT IN ASSEMBLY SPECIAL: Republicans are beginning to coalesce around a candidate for the looming special election to replace Democratic Assemblymember Billy Jones \u2014 but not the party leader with the most say in choosing a nominee.<\/p>\n Malone Mayor Andrea Dumas locked down support from Rep. Elise Stefanik last week. She was endorsed today by the Conservative Party and Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay.<\/p>\n But Stefanik put out a lengthy statement<\/a> this afternoon calling on Clinton County GOP Chair Jerika Manning to resign for \u201cthreatening to tank\u201d the special. \u201cI am not going to let her torpedo Republican candidates in the North Country,\u201d Stefanik wrote.<\/p>\n Manning controls 53 percent of the vote as party leaders choose a nominee for the race that\u2019ll likely be held on Election Day.<\/p>\n Two individuals familiar with the situation said Stefanik\u2019s statement came about after the county chair declined to join other Republican leaders in endorsing Dumas and continued searching for a new candidate. Manning did not return a request for comment.<\/p>\n Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman has been widely seen as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. Bridie Farrell, a Child Victims Act advocate and former speed-skater who briefly ran against Stefanik in 2022, formally joined the Democratic field today as well. \u2014 Bill Mahoney<\/p>\n NOT SWEATING: Gov. Kathy Hochul shrugged at a Siena University poll<\/a> released this morning that found Stefanik, a potential gubernatorial rival, running competitively in the suburbs and among independent voters.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll let you all figure it out,\u201d she told reporters. \u201cI\u2019m working hard every single day putting money back in peoples\u2019 pockets, making streets safer and fighting the damn Trump administration.\u201d<\/p>\n The survey found Hochul with a 14-point lead over Stefanik, 45 percent to 31 percent. The gap between the Democratic governor and the House Republican, while comfortable, is smaller than the 23-point difference Hochul held in June.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been through countless polls and, guess what, team, there\u2019s going to be a lot more between now and November,\u201d she added. \u2014 Nick Reisman<\/p>\n ADULT LEARNERS EYE FREE TUITION: More than 16,500 New Yorkers applied to a free community college program for older students, Hochul announced this morning.<\/p>\n The City University of New York received about 7,000 of the applications from students seeking associate degrees in high-demand fields, CUNY Chancellor F\u00e9lix Matos Rodr\u00edguez said. The remainder went to the State University of New York. The initiative \u2014 aimed at adult learners between the ages of 25 and 55 \u2014 applies to the 37 community colleges run by SUNY and CUNY.<\/p>\n The program, set to begin this fall, is part of Hochul\u2019s affordability push, as she faces a tough reelection bid next year.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to keep doing my part, focusing on families \u2014 my fight is for your family,\u201d Hochul said during a press conference at LaGuardia Community College in Queens. \u201cFocusing on affordability \u2014 this is a major part of it, but also putting more money back in people\u2019s pockets.\u201d<\/p>\n Hochul insisted the state \u201chas no limit\u201d on the number of applicants because enrollment is still lower than it was before the Covid-19 pandemic. Some 4 million working-age adults in New York do not have a college degree or credential, according to the governor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n State lawmakers and higher education advocates told POLITICO earlier this year<\/a> that community colleges don\u2019t have enough money to implement the plan. The governor allocated $47 million in the state budget for the upcoming school year.<\/p>\n When asked by Playbook about those concerns, Hochul pointed to record investments in SUNY and CUNY. \u2014 Madina Tour\u00e9<\/p>\n TAKEOVER TAKES: Trump\u2019s unprecedented effort to take over law enforcement<\/a> in Washington drew a reaction from Mayor Eric Adams today.<\/p>\n Asked about Trump\u2019s actions, Adams touted recent decreases in major crime categories to make the case that New York City does not need the type of federal intervention playing out in the nation\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not part of the group that says we don\u2019t want to work with the federal government, but we don\u2019t need anyone to come in and take over our law enforcement apparatus,\u201d Adams, who is running for reelection as an independent, said during an unrelated news conference. \u201cWe\u2019ve got this under control.”<\/p>\n Rival independent candidate Andrew Cuomo claimed the turn of events in Washington is \u201cexactly what will happen\u201d if Mamdani wins the general election this fall, though Trump would be more limited<\/a> in the control he could exert over the NYPD.<\/p>\n \u201cTrump will flatten him like a pancake,\u201d Cuomo posted<\/a> Monday on X. \u201cIn 2020, Trump sent the National Guard into other states. Not New York. There\u2019s only one person in this race who can stand up to Trump: the one who already has, successfully and effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n Mamdani warned Trump against trying a similar militarization in New York City, as the president has repeatedly<\/a> floated<\/a>, while chiding Cuomo for comments<\/a> he made during a June CBS interview where he warned federal immigration officers are \u201cgoing to do things that are illegal and unconstitutional” but cautioned New Yorkers not to overreact.<\/p>\n \u201cDonald Trump is not above the law and if he comes for New York City, he will have to go through me,\u201d Mamdani said in a statement today. \u201cAs Mayor, I will not downplay or enable his authoritarianism \u2014 and I certainly will not tell New Yorkers not to \u2018overreact\u2019 as Andrew Cuomo did when Trump\u2019s militia tried to bulldoze Los Angeles.\u201d \u2014 Maya Kaufman and Joe Anuta<\/p>\n ENDORSEMENT WATCH: Former Gov. David Paterson is set to endorse Adams\u2019 reelection bid during a Wednesday event at City Hall, according to a person with direct knowledge of the gathering.<\/p>\n The nod comes a month after Paterson held a press conference that called for a united front to defeat Mamdani in the general election.<\/p>\n So far, the former elected\u2019s wishes are not playing out.<\/p>\n Neither Cuomo, Adams nor GOP nominee Curtis Sliwa have expressed any intention of dropping out of the race. Paterson backed Cuomo in the primary, but his support has waned<\/a> after Cuomo\u2019s decisive loss to Mamdani in the June 24 primary. \u2014 Joe Anuta<\/p>\n GUILTY PLEA: A former Adams aide pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, admitting to organizing a fundraiser for the mayor at which he knew money would be raised by illegal straw donations.<\/p>\n Bahi\u2019s plea in Manhattan federal court comes four months after Judge Dale Ho dismissed the related charges<\/a> against Adams after Trump\u2019s Department of Justice sought to drop the case.<\/p>\n Bahi said that an unnamed \u201cvolunteer of the campaign\u201d had told him Adams\u2019 political operation would raise money by straw donations at a December 2020 fundraiser with Uzbek-American business leader Tolib Mansurov<\/a> and would then seek to match the contributions with public funds.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t clear which volunteer Bahi was referring to, though Adams\u2019 indictment suggests it was Ahsan Chugtai<\/a>, another man who was later hired by Adams\u2019 City Hall as a Muslim community liaison. Adams adviser Frank Carone did not respond when asked about it, saying the case has \u201cno connection at all or relevance\u201d to the Adams campaign. Adams\u2019 lawyers have maintained that he was not aware of any of the numerous<\/a> confirmed illegal contributions<\/a> to his 2021 campaign.<\/p>\n Bahi did not respond when reporters asked how he felt about pleading guilty when Adams got off. Turkish-American developer Erden Arkan also pleaded guilty<\/a> to making straw donations in January, and his sentencing<\/a> is scheduled for this Friday.<\/p>\n Bahi was hired as a Muslim liaison in the Mayor\u2019s Community Affairs Unit after Adams won. He resigned last October, the day before he was arrested and charged<\/a> with witness tampering and destruction of evidence. He\u2019s been in plea discussions with the government since at least February<\/a>. Bahi agreed to pay $32,000 restitution, Ho said, and could face up to six months in prison and a $20,000 fine at sentencing, which is scheduled for Nov.ember 18. \u2014 Jeff Coltin<\/p>\n \u2014 SPY-FI: The Adams administration is using its flagship broadband program to give police real-time access to NYCHA camera feeds \u2014 without telling anyone. (New York Focus<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u2014 AI, ESQ.:\u00a0 A Queens judge is fining a landlord\u2019s attorney for using fake, AI-generated court cases to support his argument. (Hell Gate<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u2014 TEAM ZOHRAN: Mamdani is growing his inner circle, a group of trusted advisers that lean younger and farther left than that of his rivals. (New York Times<\/a>)<\/p>\n Missed this morning\u2019s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n