| | | | |  | | By Emily Ngo, Nick Reisman and Jeff Coltin | With help from Rich Mendez
|  Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is a rising star in the Republican Party, and his critics say he's focusing on national stardom and not Nassau County. | Ben Johansen/POLITICO | An in with Donald Trump. Culture war cred. Media savvy. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has the trappings of GOP stardom in this political landscape. At this week’s Republican National Convention, he rubbed elbows with Dan Scavino and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and fielded plaudits for his county’s ban on transgender athletes, which faces legal challenges from NYCLU and Attorney General Tish James. “We’ve taken some stands in Nassau County that have gotten national attention,” Blakeman told Playbook from the convention in Milwaukee. “And I think it’s because people are surprised that in a place like Nassau County, on the border of New York City, people want to get back to American values, conservative values.” Blakeman has caught the nation’s eye, for good or bad, with the trans ban that he signed into law on Monday and his recent effort to recruit, train and arm a force that he insists is not a militia. He has appeared alongside former President Donald Trump at the Long Island wake of a slain NYPD officer in March and, two months later, at a Bronx rally where the presidential candidate lauded him for his “central casting” looks. As a result, Blakeman, who flipped his seat as part of a red wave sweeping New York City suburbs in 2022, has enjoyed relatively frequent cable news coverage — especially for a local official. His critics roundly condemn his policies as self-serving, fear-mongering and dangerous. “He’s grandstanding and trying to be a mini-Trump,” New York State Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs told Playbook. “I don’t know if he wants to be in a Trump administration, but he’s certainly not dealing with the issues of Nassau County.” Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, Nassau County Legislature minority leader, said she has been pressing and FOIL-ing for details about the “special deputies” that Blakeman said would be deployed in the event of an emergency. “The idea of putting more guns on the street with someone who is not trained the way that our police are is really...” she began, continuing, “We’re honestly concerned about somebody getting hurt.” Blakeman, who was a Port Authority commissioner in the wake of 9/11, dismissed the concerns as liberal bellyaching. “People are getting all excited about a list in a database of people who would be willing to serve and people who are qualified to serve,” he said. There have been 80 applicants, including former law enforcement, and 25 have been trained, he said. Blakeman also believes he has the legal upper hand in the ban that has the support of conservative trans celebrity Caitlyn Jenner, and said, “It’s a safety issue for women and girls in sports.” An earlier iteration, which he issued via executive order in February, was struck down in May by the Nassau County Supreme Court. But the Republican-controlled county legislature passed a new version. The NYCLU alleges state human rights, civil rights and municipal home rule violations. Blakeman, meanwhile, shrugged off speculation that he has designs on higher office. “I never rule anything out,” he said, “but I’m totally focused on being the best county executive I can be.” — Emily Ngo HAPPY FRIDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
| | | | The CNN-POLITICO Grill has quickly become a key gathering place for policymakers and thought-leaders attending the RNC in Milwaukee.
On Tuesday, POLITICO and Bayer convened two conversations: a discussion with Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.) and an executive conversation with Bayer’s Jessica Christiansen, senior vice president and head of crop science and sustainability communications.
The conversations focused on the news of the day in Milwaukee, including deeper discussion centered on the critical challenges faced by the agriculture sector.
CATCH UP HERE | | | | | WHERE’S KATHY? Making a child care announcement in Albany. WHERE’S ERIC? Calling in for a live interview on GMGT LIVE’s “The Reset Talk Show," then making a health-related announcement with Attorney General James. Later, he'll appear on Telemundo 47. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I have never submitted the form, nor has anyone on my staff. Two entries under my name were submitted by other city employees without my consent or knowledge.” — New York City Council Member Lincoln Restler, via Gothamist, on his continued opposition to the mayor’s meeting request form.
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | | 
Some pledged delegates are surprised that Gov. Kathy Hochul has yet to call them ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month. | Stephanie Keith/Getty Images | DELEGATE COUNT: Gov. Kathy Hochul has played a highly public role in boosting President Joe Biden amid the drumbeat of calls from Democrats for him to drop his faltering reelection bid. But pledged delegates to the party’s national convention in Chicago scheduled for next month are yet to hear from the state’s top Democrat. That surprised some delegates, who expected Hochul to privately reinforce her support for Biden and keep the delegation unified in the event he steps aside. “You would think someone would want to be in control of this delegation,” one Democratic delegate from New York told Playbook who requested anonymity in order to discuss the sensitive topic freely. “Someone has to think one step ahead.” New York delegates, however, have been hearing from Biden’s reelection team. Biden campaign staffers in recent days have made check-in calls to Democratic delegates, four people who received the calls told Playbook. “I’ve gotten calls from the Biden-Harris people basically telling me to continue my support for the president and nothing’s changed and nothing has changed until it’s changed,” said Assemblymember David Weprin, a pledged delegate. And Weprin, a Queens Democrat, is sticking with the president even as party officials — including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — have had candid conversations with Biden about the path forward. “Polls go back and forth, they’ll go back and forth many times,” Weprin said. “Clearly, Trump has a lot of momentum. The failed assassination attempt generated sympathy. I still think it’s early. It’s a long way until November.” Hochul has been privately effusive about Biden. She spoke at the Congressional Black Caucus PAC’s breakfast over the weekend, talking up the president’s candidacy to a group that has steadfastly supported Biden as other Democrats question his ability to sustain a formidable campaign. And Hochul on Wednesday praised Biden for having “delivered for New York in extraordinary ways” during a Bloomberg TV interview. “Once he said he’s in, my view is he’s going to be in,” she said. “He’s staying. As long as he’s staying in this race, I am with him.” — Nick Reisman
| | CITY HALL: THE LATEST | | | | 
City Council Member Susan Zhuang says she's a victim of police brutality after she received backlash for biting a police officer during a protest. | John McCarten/NYC Council Media Unit | FIGHT THE BITE: City Council Member Susan Zhuang is saying she’s actually the victim of police brutality, rather than a perpetrator after her Wednesday arrest for assault and allegedly biting a cop while protesting an under-construction homeless shelter. Zhuang skipped the council meeting Thursday to hold a press conference in her southern Brooklyn district where supporters greeted her with cheers, THE CITY reported. Backing Zhuang was not a criminal defense attorney, but political world lawyer Jerry Goldfeder, who literally wrote the book on New York election law. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez is prosecuting the case, and Goldfeder worked on his first campaign in 2017. But Goldfeder hasn’t worked for him since then, he told Playbook, while he’s represented Zhuang “for years.” One of his colleagues, meanwhile, handled Zhuang’s arraignment, where she pleaded not guilty. Back at City Hall, Speaker Adrienne Adams called videos of Zhuang’s arrest “disturbing.” — Jeff Coltin MAIMONIDES MOVES: Billionaire fertilizer, real estate and health care mogul Alex Rovt has resigned from his position of vice chair of the board of Brooklyn’s Maimonides Medical Center. Rovt, a major political donor who also chairs the board of the three-hospital network One Brooklyn Health, told Playbook he made the decision for the sake of unity there. The move comes as Rovt is embroiled in a lawsuit over a vote last year by One Brooklyn Health’s board not to renew the contract of its chief executive, LaRay Brown. “I note that my decision to resign from my role at Maimonides was influenced by personal factors, and had nothing to do with the claims and allegations made in this proceeding,” Rovt stated in an affidavit filed in that case last week. For representation One Brooklyn Health has tapped former Brooklyn Democratic Party Boss Frank Seddio, the lawyer and ex-lawmaker confirmed to POLITICO. — Maya Kaufman More from the city: — Whether the city’s deal to build NYCFC’s new soccer stadium will pay off financially hasn’t really been answered — but it was approved anyway. (Hell Gate) — With Rikers in crisis, a power struggle within the Board of Correction is overshadowing the oversight efforts. (Queens Eagle) — The City Council is seeking an inclusive school dress code policy, amid concerns that schools disproportionately target girls, LGBTQ+ pupils and students of color. (POLITICO Pro)
| | NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY | | | 
In an effort to make party resources more available for down-ballot races, Hochul led a call with 50 of the 62 county Democratic chairs. | Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul | GOV RALLIES CHAIRS: Hochul led a call Thursday night with 50 of the 62 county Democratic chairs to outline the party’s goals this election season. There’s a lot at stake for Democrats, especially those in pivotal House races that could determine control of the chamber. Democrats are trying to flip five districts on Long Island, in the Hudson Valley and Central New York. In the call, Hochul touted the efforts to build out the state Democratic Committee — an expansion meant to aid down-ballot candidates with data, fieldwork and other resources. Hochul was blamed for losses in swing House races two years ago. But the project to build out the party goes beyond that. Hochul told party chairs she wanted to make party resources more widely available to candidates and no longer have the Democratic Committee revolve solely around the governor’s reelection. “I never liked that optic,” Hochul said, according to audio obtained by Playbook. “I never liked that sense we weren’t all there for every race.” —- Nick Reisman PRISON CLOSURES: The Hochul administration will close two of the state’s 44 prisons by the end of the year, adding to concerns among upstate officials over the economic fallout from the decision. Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Washington County and Sullivan Correctional Facility will close in about 90 days — joining a list of 24 prisons that have closed in New York since 2011. Both facilities slated to close are located in largely rural areas of upstate New York. A combined 930 people work at the facilities. The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in a statement said the closures would be done to “minimize the effect on staff.” “The closure of the two facilities will help ensure the safe and efficient operation of the system by utilizing staff more effectively, and operating programs in a safe manner,” the agency said. But some lawmakers are concerned about the more lasting impact on the small towns that hosted the prisons for decades. “I know people from Warren, Saratoga and even Essex County work at Great Meadow,” Republican state Sen. Dan Stec said. “This is impacting people in a multi-county area. Six hundred jobs in Washington County proportionally 600 is a huge number.” Stec represents a sprawling and largely rural Senate district north of the Albany area. When he took office, the district had 10 prisons. It will be down to seven prisons when the latest closures take effect. And then there’s the question of what to do with the former prisons. Hochul has supported studies to assess how to convert the properties into housing, but progress has been slow. Great Meadow Correctional Facility, in particular, is a century-old gothic structure near the Vermont border. By design, it’s not easy to access. “It’s substantial, it was built to last,” Stec said of the building. “What will they do with it?” — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — New York’s Equal Rights Amendment on the ballot in November is about abortion — but it doesn’t actually say that. (Gothamist) — The Hochul administration is now weighing whether to allow more than one company to have a contract to provide supplies of an anti-overdose drug. (Buffalo News) — The governor added more than two dozen family and civil court judges in order to reduce a backlog. (WGRZ)
| | | | Understand 2024’s big impacts with Pro’s extensive Campaign Races Dashboard, exclusive insights, and key coverage of federal- and state-level debates. Focus on policy. Learn more. | | | | | | | NEW YORK STATE OF MIND | | — Attorney General Tish James sent out a fundraising pitch talking up Vice President Kamala Harris — and tellingly made no mention of Biden. (NY Post) — A continued exodus of health care workers from a historic Manhattan hospital on the brink of closure is posing risks to patient safety “in the very near future.” (POLITICO)
| | SOCIAL DATA | | Edited by Daniel Lippman MAKING MOVES: BerlinRosen copywriter Arden Dressner Levy is now communications director for City Council Member Tiffany Cabán. … Dylan Smith is joining RH Strategic Communications as a senior public affairs strategist. He previously was comms director for Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) and is a Tom Suozzi alum. … Michael Fleischman is now an AI policy adviser at DLA Piper. He previously was legislative director for Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.). — Kris Kolluri said he is stepping down as executive director of the Gateway Development Commission, a partnership of New York, New Jersey and Amtrak. (POLITICO Pro) HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Anat’s Jeff Simmons … Janos Marton … NYC Council’s Richard Lee … BSJ’s Bill McCarthy, Jr. … SUNY’s Travis Proulx … POLITICO’s Rachael Bade … Bloomberg’s Mary Newman … NBC’s Alex Johnson … Keegan Bales … Eric Lichtblau … Isaac Arnsdorf … Atossa Araxia Abrahamian … Matt Speno … (WAS THURSDAY): Gadi Schwartz ... David Kamin … Sidney Davidoff 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 | | | | |
