| | | | |  | | By Emily Ngo, Nick Reisman and Jeff Coltin | With help from Rich Mendez
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to X to remind critics that progressives can be both against antisemitism and support Palestinian rights. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images | Fierce debate in American politics over the Israel-Hamas war has left little room for nuance. But two recent, high-profile displays of antisemitism in Manhattan and Brooklyn have given cause for progressive officials to recast their messaging and remind their base — as well as their critics — that standing up for Palestinians doesn’t preclude them from standing up for Jews. “We can mobilize to end the atrocities in Gaza and combat the rise of antisemitism at the same time,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. “Bigotry in organizing spaces imperils everyone’s work.” The Squad member was responding to followers who disparaged her — implausibly — as in AIPAC’s pocket because she condemned protesters who gathered Monday outside the Nova Music Festival Exhibition’s tribute to the victims of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. A day later, when the homes of five Jewish board members of the Brooklyn Museum were vandalized, left-leaning city Comptroller Brad Lander circulated photos of one property splashed with red paint and marked by a sign reading “white supremacist Zionist” to castigate the acts of aggression. “The cowards who did this are way over the line into antisemitism, harming the cause they claim to care about, and making everyone less safe,” Lander posted on X. Nearly nine months into the war, political positioning is often oversimplified and antagonistic on both sides. Now Ocasio-Cortez, Lander and other progressives — who have been accused of antisemitism for criticizing Israel and spotlighting devastation in Gaza — are trying anew to inject nuance and civility into the conversation. To that end, the House member hosted a recent discussion with Jewish advocates. “It has nothing to do with being antisemitic. It has to do with people dying,” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams told Playbook of accusations that his fellow progressives are supporting Hamas by default. Williams blamed bad-faith actors willfully obfuscating the views of left-leaning Democrats for their political gain, alleging that Mayor Eric Adams in particular has used protests “as an excuse to continue to not lift up the pain of Palestinians.” Adams ally Jackie Rowe-Adams, who advocates against gun violence, told Playbook that she has personally witnessed how heartbreaking the war has been for the mayor. “His job is to work with everybody,” she said, defending Adams against Williams. “He cannot afford to take sides.” — Emily Ngo HAPPY FRIDAY: You’re almost to the weekend. Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
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Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | WHERE’S KATHY? Making an economic development announcement in Syracuse. WHERE’S ERIC? Delivering remarks at the Conference of German and American Mayors’ “Common Challenges and Transatlantic Solutions for Cities” summit, then meeting with Peruvian Ambassador to the U.S. Alfredo Ferrero. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It's like taxing cigarettes or alcohol. You tax things you don't like, and you incentivize things you do like. And we don't like congestion." — Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), a former car dealer, on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s congestion pricing decision, via E&E News.
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | | 
Rep. Pat Ryan is set to hold a briefing with a top abortion rights organization to reaffirm his support for abortion rights. | Hans Pennink/AP | RYAN’S RIGHTS PLAN: Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan, facing competitive reelection to a second term, is stepping up his efforts to tout his support for abortion rights. The Hudson Valley House member on Monday will hold a briefing with a leading abortion-rights organization in recognition of the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. Ryan’s campaign is billing the event as a press briefing, which will include Reproductive Freedom for All President Mini Timmaraju. Ryan initially won a special election to his House seat two years ago, in the wake of the high court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision — a ruling he joined fellow Democrats in assailing. Now it’s an issue he expects will remain potent this year, as Dems seek to counter Republican attacks over inflation and crime. “Far-right Republicans, including my opponent, cheered as the Supreme Court overturned Roe, ripping away one of the core freedoms I risked my life in combat to defend,” Ryan said. “Ahead of the Dobbs anniversary and through Election Day, we’ll be making the stakes crystal clear: you’re either for freedom or against it. Choice is on the ballot this fall in every election, in every state.” Ryan’s Republican opponent, Alison Esposito, said the Democrat is lying about her abortion stance “because he knows he cannot win this election without lying to voters. I do not support a federal abortion ban.” “Instead of focusing on securing our southern border, bringing down inflation and making life easier for Hudson Valley families, Ryan is always focused on dividing Americans,” she said in a statement. “One choice is on the ballot this November. It’s a choice for the same career politician who says one thing and does another or someone with a proven record of protecting New Yorkers.” Democrats plan to shape their campaign platform around abortion rights, especially in New York, where an estimated six swing seats could determine control of the narrowly divided House. Voters here will consider a proposed wide-ranging amendment to the state constitution that is meant to enshrine the right to an abortion. Democrats want the referendum for the amendment to boost turnout, especially in down-ballot races like Ryan’s. Republicans are playing defense in New York to secure second terms for freshman Reps. Anthony D’Esposito, Nick Lalota, Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro and Brandon Williams. Ryan’s seat is the only Democratic-held district the GOP is expected to target in New York. — Nick Reisman
| | CITY HALL: THE LATEST | | | | 
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams broke with DSA to back Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman. | William Alatriste/NYC Council Media Unit | JUMAANE V. DSA: First in Playbook, the public advocate is breaking with the Democratic Socialists of America who once endorsed him to back Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman for reelection. "Stefani has been fighting to protect Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights property owners from deed theft, supporting our local small businesses, and investing in education for our youth and formerly incarcerated,” Williams, one of New York’s most prominent progressives, said in a statement shared with Playbook. Zinerman also has the support of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in her race against DSA-backed retail worker Eon Huntley, POLITICO reported. The DSA endorsed Williams for lieutenant governor in 2018, after which he told Jacobin he had “no problem saying I’m a Democratic socialist.” He later teamed up with the group on environmental issues, but they’ve grown apart in recent years. “It’s disappointing to see a housing advocate side with the real estate lobby that preys on Bed-Stuy,” Huntley’s spokesperson Grace Mausser said, using a line of attack against Zinerman’s corporate donors. “But the tenants of this neighborhood know there’s only one candidate in this race who will stand up to developers and the real estate lobby.” — Jeff Coltin LANDER PITCHES CHANGES: Comptroller Brad Lander is skeptical of Adams’ Charter Revision Commission. “This was hastily called. There’s not enough time for meaningful deliberation. It is transparently put in place for political purposes,” he told Playbook. But that didn’t stop him from testifying at its Thursday hearing, pushing for a handful of wonky fiscal reforms, including the adoption of policies governing the city’s rainy day fund and debt management. “There are reasons to doubt the motives behind its appointment. But there’s no doubt that we could use better fiscal management. And concrete charter proposals could achieve it,” he said. The Democrat is generally supportive of the bill the council passed to give the body more input on mayoral appointments — that Adams is blocking with the commission. “Some amount of additional advice and consent is a good idea,” said Lander, a rival to Adams who is mulling a challenge to him next year. — Jeff Coltin More from the city: — DocGo, the controversial COVID testing-turned-migrant-shelter firm, quietly nabbed last year a nearly $41 million no-bid contract to run a massive asylum seeker site in Queens. (New York Post) — An estimated 4,140 people were counted sleeping on the streets and subways, the highest number of unsheltered homeless people tallied in more than a decade. (THE CITY)
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Assembly candidate Hiram Monserrate faces $20,000 in digital ads from Laborers Building a Better New York. | Craig Ruttle/AP | UNCLE STEVE SPENDS: Billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen is spending big ahead of the primary, contributing $250,000 to a super PAC affiliated with the Laborers' Union. Laborers Building a Better New York has already reported spending $20,000 on digital ads opposing Assembly candidate Hiram Monserrate, who’s running for the district covering Citi Field, and has publicly opposed Cohen’s casino bid. The ex-elected’s opponent Larinda Hooks boasts overwhelming union support, and she backs the casino plan. Playbook has also obtained a yet-to-be-reported mailer from the super PAC supporting Johanna Carmona, who’s running against Assemblymember Juan Ardila and DSA-backed Claire Valdez in western Queens. Both a spokesperson for Cohen, as well as the Laborers, declined to comment on the spending and other plans ahead of the primary. The trades have been staunch supporters of Cohen’s Metropolitan Park casino bid, and it benefits the hedge funder to keep a good relationship with them. After all, Cohen still believes his casino bid is alive, and sees a path to victory despite state Sen. Jessica Ramos' efforts to block it in Albany. In recent years, Cohen has donated directly to Hochul, as well as Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. — Jeff Coltin More from Albany: — Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs is claiming support from people who haven’t endorsed him — or endorsed his opponent. (Daily News) — A judge has ruled against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his fight for records from the attorney general’s office. (Times Union)
| | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | | 
Rep. Jamaal Bowman faces yet another wave of attack ads, this time from a crypto-funded super PAC. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images | CRYPTO TAKES ON BOWMAN: Rep. Jamaal Bowman is set to be blasted by a super PAC funded by the cryptocurrency industry. The super PAC Fairshake will drop $2 million on a TV ad knocking Bowman, who is facing a tough primary challenge in his Westchester-Bronx House district from George Latimer. This ad comes on top of the millions of dollars that have flooded the race in recent weeks. Spending in the primary has already hit the stratosphere with a separate super PAC funded by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee spending more than $12 million to boost Latimer. Fairshake is part of a network of super PACs that have been funded by cryptocurrency firms this election cycle. The industry has given Bowman an “F” rating for his stance on the emerging technology. It’s another sign that Bowman, a two-term incumbent, is the underdog in the race. And his campaign is comfortable with that status. "Congressman Bowman is making enemies with all the right people: Donald Trump's megadonors, Republican billionaires, dark money Super PACs, and now the often indicted and intentionally obscure cryptocurrency industry that seeks to buy influence in Congress to escape accountability,” campaign spokesperson Lawrence Wang said. “As George Latimer sells out to the Donald Trumps and Sam Bankman-Frieds of the world, we will continue to be guided by the actual needs of our district." — Nick Reisman More from the Congress: — Rep. Ritchie Torres assumes a posture of authority — not only on Israel but on what it means to Jews — that is surprising to encounter in someone who isn’t Jewish. (The New Republic)
| | NEW YORK STATE OF MIND | | — Queens Surrogate Court candidate Wendy Li, who’s challenging a county-backed candidate, was rated “not approved” by the local bar association and blames the “machine.” (Queens Eagle) — Low use has led to the state’s Adirondack hiker shuttle service being halted. (Times Union)
| | SOCIAL DATA | | Edited by Daniel Lippman MAKING MOVES: Attorney Ronald Porcelli was officially appointed as the director of the NYC Unity Project, a unit within the New York City Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice. They have been the acting director since 2021. … Dr. Charles J. Gibbs has been named the seventh president of the Metropolitan College of New York. He is the former CEO of 100 Black Men of America. MEDIAWATCH: Former Daily News political editor David Cruz is joining Newsday as deputy editor for politics. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Former President Donald Trump … Tollbit’s Campbell Brown … Chamber of Commerce’s Sara Armstrong … NYC Council Member Joann Ariola … CNN’s Pete Muntean … Jon Lentz … N.Y. State Senate candidate Kim Keiserman Missed Thursday’s New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here. | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
