A Hochul hater’s daily schedule

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Nov 25, 2024 View in browser   By Jason Beeferman Presented by  PROGRAMMING NOTE: We’ll be off for Thanksgiving this Thursday and Friday but back to our normal schedule on Monday, Dec. 2. Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres has been Hochul hating for the past seven days as he stokes speculation he is running for governor. | Francis Chung/POLITICO WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA: Despite her relative success on Election Day, Gov. Kathy Hochul is increasingly viewed as a soft target. As Democrats suffered crushing defeat across the country, Hochul actually helped her party flip three New York House seats — even as Donald Trump improved his losing margin in the state. Nevertheless, her haters are growing in number and volume. Every few days, another slight emerges. The latest is an onslaught from Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres and Republican Rep. Mike Lawler — both potential 2026 challengers — and a slight from her own No. 2, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado. Lawler launched a website blasting Hochul for her post-election move to bring back congestion pricing. Delgado wrote a New York Times op-ed calling for better Democratic leadership, without mentioning his boss’s name once. Torres’ ascent to devout Hochul hater has happened at a rapid pace. Just consider Torres’ itinerary over the past seven days: MONDAY: Eat with the city’s biggest business leaders and politicians. Tell them the state is riddled with “misgovernance.” Watch as those comments turn into a New York Post article that stokes speculation you will run for governor. TUESDAY: Stay low. Look at yourself in the mirror. Think about the week ahead. Plan the attack. WEDNESDAY: Escalate the rhetoric. Go on NY1 and, when asked if you would like to run for governor, say you’ve made “no final decision.” Be sure to take a shot at Hochul by saying New York is in the midst of a profound “leadership crisis.” THURSDAY: Ride the wave of intense gubernatorial speculation as your interview blows up on X. At lunchtime, blast out a post of your own blaming the gov for Democrats losing four congressional seats in New York in 2022. FRIDAY: Now you really want to start ramping things up. Wake up to fresh comments you’ve made in POLITICO’s morning Playbook pledging to go on a state “listening tour” to “find out about the needs of New York state.” After breakfast, echo those comments on X by reiterating that Hochul is the "the new Joe Biden" and say her reelection campaign would be akin to “impending disaster and defeat” for Democrats. WEEKEND BREAK. TODAY: Weekend is over, capping seven days of Hochul hating. Wake up to your face on the cover of the New York Post, where you blame Hochul (and the mayor) for a random stabbing spree that left three dead. Go on NY1 again to say Hochul is ineffective and imply she should be fired. — While Hochul’s campaign declined to comment on Torres’ past week, the congressman vowed to Playbook to continue his onslaught. “We cannot afford to be silent,” he said. “I'm not here to be politic or politically correct, I'm here to tell the truth and the truth is that she is failing as governor. Most people in politics believe it. But few are willing to say it. I'm willing to say it.” Meanwhile government reform group Unite NY released a poll today that found 49 percent of New Yorkers hold an unfavorable view of Hochul, and a majority of respondents say the state is headed in the wrong direction. It was the highest unfavorability rating for Hochul since the group has been polling her. “If Kathy Hochul were effective, she would be popular, and elected officials like me would never contemplate a primary challenge,” he said. Torres, who voted for then-City Council member Jumaane Williams over Hochul in the 2018 lieutenant governor primary but backed Hochul in 2022, did not say if he wanted Democratic leadership to step in and urge Hochul not to seek reelection. “I’m forcing the conversation, so where people take that conversation is up to them, and I'm certainly forcing it.” — Jason Beeferman, with reporting from Nick Reisman   A message from Uber: Study Reveals Uber Drivers Make More than EMTs: NYC Uber drivers now earn an average of $52,900 annually after expenses, outpacing the salaries of many essential city employees, including EMTs and sanitation workers. Despite delivering vital services, these workers struggle with stagnant wages while Uber drivers have benefited from five TLC-mandated pay hikes since 2020. Read more on the wage disparity impacting NYC’s workforce. Learn More.   From the Capitol A now-closed Off-Track Betting site in New York City. | Getty Images LOOK CLOSER: Executives from Reinvent Albany, Common Cause New York and the League of Women Voters of New York State urged state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to audit the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation — the public corporation that manages tens of millions of dollars across the region. “[W]e are asking your office to take a top-to-bottom look at Western OTB that answers fundamental questions about the public benefit provided by Western OTB, the board’s fulfillment of its fiduciary duty and independence from partisan political considerations that directly affect hiring, procurement, and spending decisions,” the government reform groups wrote in their letter. On Nov. 19, Western OTB announced its closure due to financial troubles. The letter noted “a steady stream of news stories about government officials exploiting Western OTB — a public authority — to benefit themselves, family members, and political confidantes.” Recently, Western OTB was criticized for hiring the former Mayor of Buffalo and paying him a $295,000 salary to manage just $53 million. (Comparable employees at the MTA earn $400,999 to operate a budget of $19.3 million.) A spokesperson for DiNapoli said they are examining the issues raised in the letter. — Timmy Facciola   Want to know what's really happening with Congress's make-or-break spending fights? Get daily insider analysis of Hill negotiations, funding deadlines, and breaking developments—free in your inbox with Inside Congress. Subscribe now.     FROM THE CAPITOL New York City Mayor Eric Adams swore in Jessica Tisch as the next commissioner of the New York City Police Department today. | Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office FOURTH TIME’S A CHARM: Jessica Tisch took the oath of office as the city’s NYPD commissioner today, simultaneously resigning as head of the sanitation department. She is the fourth person to lead the force under Mayor Adams, marking the latest twist in a chaotic run atop the nation’s largest police department. Tisch’s hands-on management style at sanitation, her history overseeing technology at the NYPD during her previous 12-year stint there and her comfort with print and television media presents an interesting dilemma in her new role. Former Commissioner Keechant Sewell resigned after being consistently undermined by some of Adams’ allies in the NYPD or adjacent roles in the administration. And during the tenure of Edward Caban — who was pushed out after FBI agents seized his phone in a corruption probe — much of the department’s public messaging came from bombastic, high-ranking department officials who have clashed with the press, in one case physically intimidating a Daily News scribe. Those officials — whom the mayor readily defends — have played a major role in managing operations at the 48,400-member department. How Tisch handles them — or if she brings in new leadership altogether — will portend her leadership style. In a speech today, the civilian commissioner gave little indication of any pending changes. “Your cops, like generations before them, nobly put their lives on the line each and every time they put on that uniform to protect you and your families. And they do a damn good job of it,” she said, speaking in an auditorium at NYPD headquarters. “We will continue to do that most important foundational work to make you safe, to make you feel safe and improve your quality of life across the city.” — Joe Anuta   Policy Change is Coming: Be prepared, be proactive, be a Pro. POLITICO Pro’s platform has 200,000+ energy regulatory documents from California, New York, and FERC. Leverage our Legislative and Regulatory trackers for comprehensive policy tracking across all industries. Learn more.     FROM THE DELEGATION Republican Rep. Mike Lawler is prepared to buck his party if the cap on state and local tax deductions is still included in the House’s tax plan. | Francis Chung/POLITICO HARDBAWLER: Eyeying a gubernatorial run next year, Rep. Mike Lawler is already preparing to tussle with his party in Washington, D.C. The Republican is gearing up to withhold his vote from his party’s tax bill if they do not include in it a lift of the cap on state and local taxes (SALT) Americans can deduct from their federal income taxes. “This is something where back in 2017, Republicans had a big enough majority that they could jam through a tax bill without folks like me in support. That’s not the case this time around,” Lawler said on Fox Business over the weekend. Lawler and the rest of New York’s Republican Congressional delegation were stymied by members of their own party who had little sympathy for northeast Americans living in high-tax areas. It did not appear to matter to Texans like Rep. Chip Roy and Floridians like Rep. Matt Gaetz that working-class voters stood to benefit from lifting the cap and might be more likely to vote Republican after receiving a tangible benefit. “Fifty percent of households used to itemize their deductions prior to the [Trump] tax cuts and jobs act becoming law. It’s now about 19 percent within my district.” Lawler said on Fox Business over the weekend. Speaker Mike Johnson brought a SALT bill up for a rule vote to placate the New York delegation, but paired it with a condemnation of President Joe Biden’s energy policy, all but precluding it from bipartisan support. This time Gaetz is gone and Lawler is coming off a decisive victory in a swing district. Lower Hudson Valley voters this month made clear they want their costs lowered. “If no tax bill is passed, the cap on SALT lifts in its entirety,” Lawler said. “So for those who are against lifting the cap on SALT — you have to negotiate.” — Timmy Facciola   A message from Uber:   IN OTHER NEWS TOP PROSECUTOR RESIGNS: Damian Williams, the Southern District U.S. attorney who brought corruption charges against Robert Menendez, Brian Benjamin and Eric Adams, announced today that he will leave his post before Donald Trump takes office. The top prosecutor’s resignation is effective Dec. 13. And it comes as Trump’s return to the White House raises questions about the future of the bribery charges facing the New York City mayor, who has pleaded not guilty. Trump had already announced he would replace Williams — who was appointed by Joe Biden — with corporate attorney and former Wall Street regulator Jay Clayton. Edward Kim, deputy U.S. Attorney, will become the U.S. attorney until Clayton takes the post. “They are worthy custodians of this Office’s tradition of doing the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons,” Williams said in his resignation statement. “They are patriots. They are my family.” Menendez, the former New Jersey senator, was convicted in July. Benjamin, the former lieutenant governor, has pleaded not guilty. In fact, Benjamin’s lawyers filed a brief to the Supreme Court today, continuing to argue the highest court should take up his case in order to clarify the law on bribery via campaign contributions. — Emily Ngo and Jeff Coltin — NEW DEM CANDIDATE: The Democratic mayor of Middleburgh, New York is teasing a run for Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s seat should she become UN Ambassador. (Daily Gazette) — HAND-PICKED SUCCESSOR: City Council Member and Comptroller hopeful Justin Brannan is throwing his weight behind former chief counsel Kayla Santosuosso to fill his seat. (City & State) — DEPORTATIONS LOW IN NYC: In past years the city deported thousands of undocumented immigrants, but that number has dropped to 11 this year. (Newsday) — LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Former Rep. Matt Gaetz is taking a note from his buddy George Santos’ playbook and selling personal videos on Cameo — for a cool $525 per clip. (NY Post) — MASK BAN HARD TO PROSECUTE: The first instance of a protester being arrested under new anti-masking statues in Nassau County resulted in the district attorney dropping the case. (Newsday) Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.   A message from Uber: Study Shows Uber Drivers making over $52k while NYC Heroes Get Left Behind A new study reveals a growing wage divide in New York City: Uber drivers are making an average of $52,900 a year after expenses, while city employees like EMTs and sanitation workers starting salaries are below $44,000. Since 2020, rideshare drivers have received five pay increases through TLC mandates while many frontline city workers face stagnant wages amid rising living costs. This gap underscores an evolving dynamic in NYC’s workforce, where gig workers see consistent earnings growth while essential city roles lag behind. This pay disparity is raising questions about the city’s priorities and the need for equitable wages in public service amidst the affordability crisis. Read the full story to see how gig work earnings are reshaping NYC’s labor landscape. Learn More.     Follow us on Twitter Jason Beeferman @JasonBeeferman   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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