Central NY House fight plays out on air

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Sep 04, 2024 View in browser   By Emily Ngo, Nick Reisman and Jeff Coltin Vulnerable GOP Rep. Brandon Williams releases his first TV ad of the cycle. | Drew Angerer/Getty Images The ad war in the Syracuse-area House district represented by one of the country’s most vulnerable Republicans has been lopsided for weeks. Democratic groups that see Rep. Brandon Williams’ seat as ripe for the flipping have been pummeling him on air over abortion access, and Dem challenger John Mannion is on his second TV ad focused in part on job creation in the region. Today, Williams is set to try to reclaim some of the narrative with his first TV spot of the cycle. The 30-second “Cutting Through the Chaos” seeks to reintroduce the Republican freshman, making the case that his U.S. naval officer training keeps him grounded amid Washington’s dysfunction, Playbook has learned. Williams is fighting for reelection in a district redrawn so that President Joe Biden would have won it by 11 points. He faces Mannion, a former public school teacher who flipped a state Senate seat blue in 2020. Not unlike other swing-district candidates around New York — who are expected to play a leading role in determining which party controls the House next year — the two have stressed they know how to work across the aisle. The race is getting costly, especially for the Syracuse and Utica media markets farther from expensive New York City. The DCCC and House Majority PAC have together reserved more than $3.5 million for ads while the NRCC and the Congressional Leadership Fund have placed more than $3 million, according to the ad-tracking service AdImpact. But the Democratic groups are already on the airwaves, and the GOP ones are only now getting started. The NRCC will split some of Williams’ ad buy, according to AdImpact. “In the Navy, I learned to stay calm under pressure and put the mission first,” the incumbent says in his ad. He continues the narration, saying his new mission includes securing the border, improving internet access and supporting law enforcement. Mannion’s ads have been similarly biographical in nature thus far. “The Office,” which launched in mid-August, seeks to show how he understands the needs of the district through his background as an educator. “Career” is about his efforts to expand jobs training. The Democrat has been spending on ads despite a campaign war chest depleted after a heated primary. (His addition to the DCCC’s coveted Red to Blue program should boost his third-quarter fundraising.) He has even more help from the DCCC, whose spokesperson Ellie Dougherty slammed Williams’ “extreme anti-abortion agenda” after the House Democrats’ campaign arm began airing “Threat” in mid-August. And House Majority PAC on Tuesday put “Monumental Victory” on TV, attacking the Republican incumbent for celebrating the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Williams has repeatedly said he opposes a nationwide ban on abortion. — Emily Ngo IT’S WEDNESDAY. Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman. WHERE’S KATHY? Joins Semafor’s virtual “Age and Access in the Social Media Era” fireside chat, makes a public health announcement in Manhattan. WHERE’S ERIC? Makes an education- and infrastructure-related announcement in the Bronx, speaks at a reception for the New York City Central Labor Council’s Labor Day Parade and swears in the president of the Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park, Inc. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’m furious and I’m outraged and I’m absolutely shocked at how brazen her behavior was. It was a betrayal of trust.” — Gov. Kathy Hochul to WNYC on the arrest and indictment of Linda Sun, who was accused of being an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government. ABOVE THE FOLD Assemblymember Chuck Lavine will hold meetings to discuss the Equal Rights Amendment. | Hans Pennink/AP IN THEIR AMENDMENT ERA: As Democratic consultants and operatives fret that the constitutional amendment guaranteeing abortion rights is in danger, some elected officials are starting to take matters into their own hands. Assemblymember Chuck Lavine, a Long Island Democrat, will hold a series of six meetings to discuss the ballot referendum. The Equal Rights Amendment, if given final approval by voters, would guarantee the right to an abortion as well as rights for LGBTQ+ people — adding to existing constitutional protections for race and religion. Attorney General Letitia James, meanwhile, has an op/ed published in The Journal News today that presses for the amendment’s passage and focuses heavily on the goal of bolstering abortion rights in the state. All this comes as Democrats — especially those working in battleground House races — are worrying that state party leaders have not done enough to counteract a well-organized opposition campaign. Opponents have contended the amendment would lead to trans people playing in women and girls’ sports or undermine statutory rape laws — allegations supporters deny and insist are a distortion of the amendment’s intent. “I think any one of us who worked on passing this constitutional amendment were very well aware of the fact that there was going to be a well-funded and organized opposition to it,” Lavine told Playbook in an interview. He wants his informational meetings to reach “John and Jane Q Citizen about the challenge that we face.” Lavine, whose suburban constituents are the kind of voters Democrats will need to win in order to flip five House seats, is hopeful the concern over the amendment will translate into urgency. “To the extent that there is concern now and anxiety now about whether this measure will pass, that may not be such a bad thing from the point of view of the public realizing what is at stake,” he said. And as opponents have focused on the implications for LGBTQ+ policy, Catholic leaders are also becoming involved. The New York State Catholic Conference is opposed to the measure and its push for abortion rights and on Tuesday again called for it to fail at the ballot box. The Archdiocese of New York in August announced its opposition and raised concerns the amendment would “endanger the religious liberty of individuals and institutions that do not want to cooperate with practices, like abortion and ‘gender reassignment’, that violate their religious beliefs.” — Nick Reisman CITY HALL: THE LATEST The federal crackdown on federal influence could ensnare an Adams aide. | Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office FARA-WEATHER FRIENDS: Ex-gubernatorial aide Linda Sun’s arrest on charges she worked for the Chinese government comes as the feds are cracking down on foreign influence — and Mayor Eric Adams may find himself tangled in the same web. Adams aide Winnie Greco’s home was raided earlier this year by investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. EDNY has handled high profile prosecutions into Chinese government influence in recent years, including Sun’s case, the secret Chinese police station and the billionaire who illegally donated to Adams’ mayoral campaign. Greco has numerous ties to the Chinese Communist Party, the Post reported, and investigators are probing a 2014 trip Adams and Greco took to China that was paid for, in part, by the country’s government. Adams dodged a question Tuesday about his numerous visits to China. His chief adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin said the mayor’s team relied on lawyers and ethics agencies to vet travel. “We never knew about people being agents of the government,” she added. “That was never brought to our attention.” Greco went through the standard Department of Investigation background check before being hired, City Hall spokesperson Fabien Levy told Playbook. But it’s a new day for the Foreign Agents Registration Act, under which Sun was charged. “FARA has been more aggressively enforced in recent years. And this particular indictment is signaling a trend that the DOJ is watching,” said Nicole Kelly, an attorney with Holtzman Vogel specializing in FARA. Separately, Adams aides Brianna Suggs and Rana Abbasova had their homes raided last year in a federal probe into whether Adams did favors for the Turkish government. No one in Adams’ orbit has been arrested as part of either investigation. — Jeff Coltin More from the city: — Adams praised the NYPD’s handling of the West Indian American Day Parade despite a mass shooting on the parade route that wounded five people — describing the incident as just one “nut” with a gun. (amNewYork) — Several jail guards currently employed on Rikers Island have been accused of raping and sexually assaulting detainees, and city officials do not appear to be investigating the claims. (Gothamist) — How Adams’ relationship to faith impacts the city and his reelection bid. (City & State) NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY Government transparency groups want Hochul to veto a bill giving public workers notice when their info could be FOIL'd. | Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images TAKING IT PERSONALLY: A bill heading to Hochul’s desk would give public employees a heads up when their personal information — like their disciplinary records — is subject to open records laws. Government transparency groups, however, have concerns with the bill — and are urging her to veto it. The measure approved this year is meant to give notice to government workers when their personal information has been requested through the Freedom of Information Law. Lawmakers in a bill memo insisted the measure was not about restricting access to public documents. “This legislation simply recognizes that these impacted public employees should have minimum notice when their personal information has been released to the public,” they wrote. But Reinvent Albany, along with nine other good-government organizations, worry the proposal, if adopted, would add “an unnecessary layer” to FOIL administration and create “a classic unfunded mandate.” “This bill’s requirement that agencies locate a public employee’s contact information, reach out to the employee, and notify them of the record disclosure will create more work for agency FOIL staff and result in greater delays to a FOIL process already at the breaking point,” the group wrote. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Linda Sun pleaded not guilty to charges she was acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government when she worked for the state. (POLITICO) — More than 500 bills from the legislative session are being considered by the governor’s office. (POLITICO Pro) — Buffalo is home to the largest electrified bus depot in the state as officials try to transition away from fossil fuels. (Buffalo News) KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION Former Rep. Lee Zeldin is among the New Yorkers expected at the Republican Jewish Coalition summit. | Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP GOP SUMMIT: Several New Yorkers are off to Las Vegas for this week’s Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual summit, which GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump will address via satellite. Former Rep. Lee Zeldin, who hasn’t ruled out another bid for governor; House GOP Conference chair Elise Stefanik and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman are set to attend and speak. Ronen and Orna Neutra, the parents of Omer Neutra, who was taken hostage by Hamas in its Oct. 7 attack on Israel, are also expected at the summit. — Emily Ngo More from the delegation: — The closely fought House race between Rep. Mike Lawler and former Rep. Mondaire Jones includes a battle over the political center. (LoHud) — Jones released his first TV ad of the cycle on Tuesday, one that attacked his rival on affordable health care. (LoHud) — Kamala Harris’ campaign and the DNC plan to transfer nearly $25 million to support down-ballot Democratic candidates in state and federal races this year. (Washington Post) NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — New York City voters were the biggest backers of the Environmental Bond Act, but funding formulas have steered nearly every dollar upstate, with the city getting just 2 percent so far. (THE CITY) — Trump is planning to be in New York City this week as his lawyers seek to overturn a $5 million jury verdict finding him liable of sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll. (New York Post) — Attendance at the New York State Fair dropped this year. (Spectrum News) SOCIAL DATA Edited by Daniel Lippman MEDIAWATCH: Timmy Facciola has joined POLITICO New York as an intern working on the Playbook team. Be on the lookout for his byline soon as he helps us put together this newsletter each day! MAKING MOVES: Socheatta “Soche” Meng is now executive director of Mekong NYC. She was previously director of the Southeast Asian Defense Project … Albany Strategic Advisors is announcing Mike O’Leary has been promoted to president, and Dan Cain has been promoted to executive vice president. The firm has also hired Samantha Merry as director of operations … Marc Cohen is joining O’Donnell & Associates as vice president of government affairs. He was previously chief of staff at the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce. NOT MAKING MOVES: The Times Square robot cop, Knightscope K5, which is still in storage, despite Adams claiming it was on “a new assignment.” (Daily News) WELCOME TO THE WORLD: Erin Landers Peters, communications and public affairs manager at Meta, and Jay Peters, principal at NewEdge Wealth, recently welcomed Emery O’Brien Peters. Pic ... Another pic … Charlotte Ross, partner at Inspired Capital, and Henry Ross on Aug. 14 welcomed George Dillon Ross. Pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: NYC Council Member Kamillah Hanks … radio host and former Rep. Anthony Weiner … former NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly … election lawyer Sarah Steiner … Airbnb’s Liz DeBold Fusco … the Girl Scouts’ Matthew Wallace … Harold Ickes … Michael McAuliff … SBA’s Matt Sonneborn … Hagar Hajjar Chemali … Sam Dagher ... Claire Bischoff … Roger Reed … Alex Travelli … Emily L. Armstrong Missed Tuesday’s New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. 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