| | | | |  | | By Emily Ngo, Nick Reisman and Jeff Coltin | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Cris Seda Chabrier
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DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was on the scene Tuesday morning at an ICE operation in the Bronx. | Courtesy of DEANewYork | NEW YORK MINUTE: Legislative budget hearings continue this morning in Albany, with New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos testifying for the first time at the Elementary & Secondary Education hearing. Expect lots of cell phone ban discussion. ICE’D OUT: Federal immigration raids. A White House-forced funding freeze. And a flurry of Democratic responses condemning both. Conventionally blue New York City has been sucked into the vortex of wide-reaching policies via newly reinstalled President Donald Trump. Its don’t-box-me-into-a-political-party mayor remains determined to play nice. Eric Adams, sidelined this week by an unspecified state of unwellness, governed by statements on Tuesday — mild ones intended to signal he’s in information-gathering mode; none that would threaten the bond the indicted mayor is nurturing with the president with pardon powers. The Trump directive that inspired the most outrage from Adams’ fellow Democrats — the halting of federal financing for various programs across the country — drew a response from the mayor that did not tip the boat. (A federal judge on Tuesday evening paused the freeze as litigation plays out.) “We are in touch with our federal counterparts as we continue to monitor this situation closely,” Adams said. “And we will advocate firmly on behalf of New Yorkers whose lives are impacted by affected programs.” ICE operations, including in the Bronx, where DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was on the scene as POLITICO reported, drew a similarly measured Adams statement. “As I have repeatedly said, we will not hesitate to partner with federal authorities to bring violent criminals to justice — just as we have done for years,” Adams said. “Our commitment to protecting our city’s law-abiding residents, both citizens and immigrants, remains unwavering.” And the mayor is among the “sanctuary city” leaders that House Republicans want testimony from on Feb. 11 in Washington, Playbook has reported. Adams’ team has not said whether he will accept the invitation. “Mayor Adams has made clear that New York City is committed to working with our federal partners to fix our broken immigration system,” City Hall spokesperson Liz Garcia has said. Contrast Adams’ tone to that of other Democrats. “I’m standing with the full force of government today to demonstrate that Chicago is a welcoming city regardless of who’s in the White House,” said the Windy City Mayor Brandon Johnson, flanked by the police superintendent and his management team. “There is no question this policy is reckless, dangerous, illegal and unconstitutional,” state Attorney General Letitia James said of the halting of federal funding, previewing legal action by blue-state prosecutors. “The Republican Rip Off is an unprecedented assault on the Country, the Constitution and the Congress,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote in a letter to his colleagues. Adams’ relative caution at the very least widens the opening for those seeking his job. City Comptroller, mayoral contender and noted nemesis Brad Lander, like some City Council members, has called on Adams to join lawsuits against Trump. “This is no time to cower in the face of a bully who is stealing our lunch money,” Lander said. The mayor’s allies have argued he may accomplish more for the city trying to work with Trump than blindly against him, and Gov. Kathy Hochul similarly embraced ICE actions against “serious offenders.” Adams press secretary Kayla Mamelak Altus pushed back on Lander’s sentiment on X, posting, “Hmm.. Maybe it’s not ‘silence,’ but responsibly gathering the facts to share with New Yorkers?” — Emily Ngo IT’S WEDNESDAY. Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
| | A message from Homeowners for Financial Empowerment: Short-term rentals are a lifeline for NYC homeowners, allowing them to afford their homes, stay in their communities, and contribute to local businesses. Big hotel investors and special interests want to make it harder for homeowners to rent out space in their homes—all to pad hotels' bottom lines. Strong homeowners make for strong NYC neighborhoods. Support Bill 1107. LEARN MORE. | | | WHERE’S KATHY? In Syracuse, highlighting her 2025 State of the State Affordability Agenda at Onondaga Community College. WHERE’S ERIC? No public schedule, after City Hall said he was not feeling well and may have doctor appointments — though Adams’ lawyers will be in federal court without him for a discovery hearing. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “No aspect of the social media exchanges that DOI reviewed in this investigation served the public.” — New York City Investigations Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber in a report finding top NYPD officials violated policy by attacking journalists, a judge and a council member.
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | 
New year. New president. New budget. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images | TRUMP REALITY SETS IN: The impact of the Trump era is hitting Albany as state lawmakers and Hochul negotiate her proposed $252 billion budget. Legislative Democrats declined last year to pass Trump-proofing actions — reasoning they couldn’t take action before the new administration moved to slash spending or roll back regulations. But now lawmakers are proceeding with urgency after the White House signaled a federal spending freeze that could upend billions of dollars in expected spending. “The uncertainty has already arrived,” Brooklyn Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a mayoral candidate, told Playbook. “That’s what’s so catastrophic about what’s being proposed and implemented. The impact is going to be breathtaking.” Concerns go beyond federal spending. Democrats on Tuesday called for tighter gun laws with Republican control of Washington expected to pare back firearm regulations. “New York as it always does is going to have to lead the way — on gun safety legislation and a variety of different issues,” Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson said. Left-leaning advocates who have pressed for income tax hikes on the richest New Yorkers, meanwhile, are turning their focus to the state’s congressional delegation. Invest in Our New York, a coalition that includes local chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America, urged federal lawmakers to not extend a 2017 tax cut package and oppose corporate tax reductions. “New Yorkers want you to meet the moment and prioritize our future over tax cuts for the wealthy and well-connected,” the group wrote in the letter backed by more than three dozen organizations to the delegation. And even as the attorney general pushes a lawsuit to counter Trump’s spending freeze, a revival of Democratic resistance politics is not completely trickling upward. Hochul, for instance, has signaled she will choose her battles with Trump — especially on issues where vulnerable New Yorkers are potentially harmed. “I'm not playing whack-a-mole with every single initiative that comes out of Washington,” she told reporters on Tuesday. Republicans nevertheless believe the moderate Democratic governor should have had a contingency plan when she unveiled last week’s budget since Trump officials made clear cuts were likely. “The governor’s office and the majority should have been prepared for an eventuality where some funding to the state is lost,” Assemblymember Jarett Gandolfo said, “especially if they’re going to take an approach of being antagonistic toward the federal administration.” — Nick Reisman
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Zhan Petrosyants has run a number of restaurants that Mayor Eric Adams frequents. | Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce | WHERRRRRE’S JOHNNY? A key figure in Adams’ social orbit has gone M.I.A., according to court records filed as part of a sprawling lawsuit over an alleged insurance fraud ring. Zhan “Johnny” Petrosyants, a convicted criminal and a friend of the mayor, is being sought by lawyers for auto insurance giant GEICO, who raised the question of his whereabouts in two letters this month to a federal judge. A process server attempting to deliver the subpoena found Petrosyants was “unknown” at a Fort Lee, N.J., building where he owns a condo nearly across the street from an apartment owned by Adams. He was also not found at an Upper West Side address, and emails were returned as undeliverable. Petrosyants is among Adams’ closest friends. The two often spent time together at Zero Bond, an exclusive private club in Noho favored by the mayor, and at Osteria La Baia, the midtown restaurant that was run by Petrosyants and his twin brother, Robert. Petrosyants told POLITICO via text he moved out of the country nearly a year ago for personal reasons and isn’t planning on returning anytime soon. Read more on the legal saga and its ties to Adams’ friends, from POLITICO’s Maya Kaufman and Joe Anuta. BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD: Manhattan Democratic Leader Keith Wright pulled former Assemblymember Inez Dickens’ name from consideration to be appointed as a Board of Elections commissioner. Playbook first reported the ex-lawmaker’s nomination was dead on arrival if it got to the City Council. Wright made the announcement at a district leader meeting Monday night. Opposition to Dickens was driven largely by players loyal to Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who’s had a longstanding feud with Wright. The party said they didn’t have another nominee yet for the seat on the 10-member board. — Jeff Coltin TUNE IN: All the leading Adams challengers are joining a mayoral forum tonight hosted by three Democratic clubs on Manhattan’s west side. Playbook’s Jeff Coltin is moderating, along with Columbia University’s Ester Fuchs. Sign up here to view it online from 7 to 9 p.m. More from the city: — City Council Member David Carr was elected minority leader… or was he? Joann Ariola is challenging the vote splitting the small conference. (City & State) — Relatives of nursing home residents who died from COVID-19 are demanding a “public meeting” with ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo as he mulls a mayoral run. (New York Post) — Fatalities of children and teens from car crashes have soared in New York City, with 16 kids killed last year. (Streetsblog)
| | | | A message from Homeowners for Financial Empowerment:  
| | | | | NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY | | | 
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is no fan of Long Island's leading newspaper. | Ben Johansen/POLITICO | NEWSDAY VERSUS NASSAU: Newsday announced it would file a lawsuit after Republican Nassau County leaders stripped the publication’s designation as the government’s official newspaper and handed it to the conservative New York Post. The paper’s top brass accused the county of “retaliatory actions” like striking reporters from media lists and failing to respond to requests for information in a statement Tuesday. “As Long Island’s most trusted news source, Newsday needs to ensure that all media outlets have equal access to all information essential to our audiences,” said Debby Krenek, Newsday’s Publisher. “The residents of Nassau County have the right to transparency from their government officials, and taxpayer dollars should never be used to intimidate the press and limit information the public needs.” Chris Boyle, a spokesperson for Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, knocked the lawsuit in a statement to Playbook. “The Blakeman administration regularly communicates with all members of the media including Newsday. This lawsuit is foolish, frivolous and completely devoid of merit.” Nassau’s move was coupled with the influential tabloid’s announcement that it would add more reporters to the suburban county beat. (Newsday contends its penetration on Long Island is superior and the paper devotes more reporters to cover the county.) The official designation means the Post prints the county’s legal notices. Blakeman is widely believed to harbor statewide ambitions and coverage in The New York Post is persuasive for GOP voters. And some Long Island Republicans believe their hometown paper hasn’t been fair. “We’ve always found Newsday to be fairly left-slated,” GOP Assemblymember Ed Ra told Playbook. “It’s the prerogative of the county to choose who they want to be their official newspaper.” Broadly, the fight comes at a delicate time for a struggling media industry. “It is concerning when a local government punishes a local newspaper because government officials don’t like its coverage,” said Diane Kennedy, the president of the New York News Publishers Association. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa received a $155,000 pay raise. (Times Union) — Hochul has a final bill from last year that she has yet to act on. (City & State) — Democratic state lawmakers questioned the governor’s commitment to climate programs. (POLITICO Pro)
| | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | | 
Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, vowed to fight a White House freeze on federal financial assistance. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | DEMS DIG IN: Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, vowed to fight a White House freeze on federal financial assistance, calling for a delay in the confirmation of Trump’s nominee for White House budget chief, threatening potential court actions and warning Republicans about potential impacts on their own states. The Office of Management and Budget on Monday night issued a halt on “all federal financial assistance,” but its implementation was paused Tuesday night by a federal judge. “It’s a dagger at the heart of the average American family in red states and blue states, in cities, in suburbs, in rural areas,” Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. “It is just outrageous.” Democrats said the sweeping funding freeze is unlawful under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, a law that Trump and his allies in turn call unconstitutional. “We have a constitutional crisis,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee, which is scheduled to vote Thursday on Russ Vought, Trump’s White House budget chief and an architect of the spending freeze. Republican leaders are so far defending the move. “I think that’s a normal practice at the beginning of administration until they have an opportunity to review how the money is being spent,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Tuesday morning. — Katherine Tully-McManus and Jordain Carney More from the delegation: — The Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, essentially Rep. Hakeem Jeffries’ messaging arm, urged members to coordinate with local officials over the funding freeze. (Axios) — Trump to name congestion pricing opponent and former Rep. Marc Molinaro to oversee transit. (Gothamist) — Senate Democrats successfully blocked a GOP-led bill to sanction the International Criminal Court. (POLITICO)
| | | | New Year. New Washington. New Playbook. With intensified congressional coverage and even faster delivery of policy scoops, POLITICO’s reimagined Playbook Newsletter ensures you’re always ahead of the conversation. Sign up today. | | | | | | | NEW YORK STATE OF MIND | | — New York City officials want to address New Yorkers’ declining life expectancy. (New York Times) — Companies that benefit from the CHIPS Act fret a federal spending freeze. (Times Union) — More than $100 million in state spending will be directed to “pro-housing” communities. (Spectrum News)
| | A message from Homeowners for Financial Empowerment: Owning a home in NYC has always been a dream. But with skyrocketing costs and high mortgage rates, that dream is slipping away for too many. Short-term rentals were a lifeline for NYC homeowners who now find themselves more vulnerable than ever. Under Local Law 18, one- and two-family homeowners who relied on home sharing to maintain and stay in their homes experienced devastating financial losses, facing foreclosure, bankruptcy, being forced to come out of retirement, and even to leave NYC. Small, neighborhood homeowners who live in their homes full-time deserve a say over how and when to rent out space in their homes. Big hotel investors and special interests want to make it harder for homeowners—all to pad hotels' bottom lines. Help homeowners save their homes and communities. LEARN MORE. | | | | | SOCIAL DATA | | Edited by Daniel Lippman MAKING MOVES: Drisana Hughes is now Brooklyn borough commissioner for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. She was previously a special assistant in Biden’s and is a Bragg and Stringer campaign alum … — Adams’ City Hall announced a series of hires promotions, including Nate Bliss’ move to chief of staff and Sarah Mallory's move to deputy chief of staff to First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer … Lizette Chaparro, former director of land use and planning for the Manhattan borough president, has joined Torres-Springer’s office as senior advisor for housing and land use. MEDIAWATCH: “The Shack is Back. New York City media has been moved back into One Police Plaza after being relegated to a trailer outside by former DCPI Tarik Sheppard.” (The Post’s Craig McCarthy, on X) HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Former NYC Council Member Ari Kagan … Friends of the High Line’s Alan van Capelle … Bloomberg’s Lauren Dezenski and Eric Roston … Newsmax’s Anna Laudiero … Tom Collamore … Adam Falkoff … Emily Tara Weberman … Madeleine Lodge … Grace Ferguson … (WAS TUESDAY): Perry Bloch ... Donna Redel ... Ellen Hershkin Missed Tuesday’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 | | | | |
