| | | |  | | By Jeff Coltin, Nick Reisman and Emily Ngo | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Cris Seda Chabrier
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The Department of Justice has directed federal prosecutors to drop charges on Mayor Eric Adams. | Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images | Months of playing nice with President Donald Trump have paid off for Mayor Eric Adams. The new president’s Department of Justice directed federal prosecutors to drop Adams’ case, saying the charges “improperly interfered” with the mayor’s reelection campaign and could hurt his ability to support Trump’s immigration agenda. POLITICO has all the details on the massive Monday night news. Trump’s fingerprints are all over the memo, which was sent by Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, who served on Trump’s own legal defense team. It echoes the argument, made by Adams and repeated by Trump, that the charges were retribution for Adams criticizing former President Joe Biden’s immigration policy. Adams’ legal team has never provided evidence for that, and the investigation predates the wave of migration in New York City. The memo also echoes the argument from Adams’ legal team that former U.S. Attorney Damian Williams’ op-ed alleging an unethical City Hall threatened the integrity of the case — even after the judge on the case rejected the claim. But what really raised eyebrows was the point that Adams needed to be relieved from the charges so he could “devote full attention and resources to the illegal immigration and violent crime,” Bove wrote. Adams is needed in particular “to support critical, ongoing federal efforts ‘to protect the American people from the disastrous effects of unlawful mass migration and resettlement.’” What “support” exactly does the Trump administration want, and what will those “federal efforts” entail from a president who promised the “largest deportation operation in American history?” The most basic question of what city workers should do if ICE agents come knocking has received intense scrutiny over the last week from New Yorkers deeply committed to not just the city’s sanctuary city policies, but its identity as a haven for immigrants City Hall declined to comment Monday night, referring questions to Adams’ lawyer, who said the mayor is innocent and knew he would prevail. Adams owes New Yorkers “honesty” and “humility,” Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a lefty critic of the Trump-friendly mayor, said in a statement. “But he knows what we all know — the person he really owes, a fealty that should anger and worry us all, is Donald Trump, and the worst of his policies." Al Sharpton said he was reaching out to other Black elected officials and clergy to discuss the implications of the dismissal on this year’s mayoral race. “I think politically this is very questionable and challenging,” Sharpton said, adding that Trump’s clemency has given him “great pause and great concern” over the actions taken by the Adams administration regarding immigration. The mayor “instructed his top officials not to criticize Donald Trump. And now we know why,” Comptroller Brad Lander, who’s running for mayor, posted on X. “Instead of standing up for New Yorkers, Mayor Adams is standing up for precisely one person—and that’s himself.” Adams may not be off the hook. It isn’t clear how the Southern District will respond to the order, not to mention the judge trying the case. And Trump’s DOJ is keeping an eye on Adams — Bove ordered the Manhattan office to review the case again after the mayoral election in November. The big question: will Adams even be on that ballot in November? He may be cleared of the case, but he’s set to face a jury of 1 million Democratic primary voters in June. — Jeff Coltin IT’S TUESDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
| | | | A message from Uber: Insurance Hitting Uber Riders in the Wallet. New York State has some of the most onerous and expensive insurance laws for rideshare trips in the country and Uber riders are paying the cost. In December 2024, 25% of rider fares on average went toward government-mandated commercial insurance for Uber rideshare trips. Lawsuit abuse and the litigation environment in New York are driving up costs of everything even more, including insurance premiums. Learn More. | | | WHERE’S KATHY? In New York City, making an announcement on affordability. WHERE’S ERIC? Delivering a live address closed to the press, rather than his usual weekly wide-ranging press conference. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Since our mayor is otherwise preoccupied, I wanted to take this moment on behalf of all New York to say: I thank you for all you’re doing, and I’m sorry for all the mayor isn’t.” — Jumaane Williams, in an open letter to New York City employees
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | 
Gov. Kathy Hochul benefited from a special election to Congress. | Paul Sancya/AP | HOCHUL’S SPECIAL ELECTION CONNECTION: Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s appointment as Trump’s U.N. ambassador is providing Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Democrats an opportunity to bruise the already-fragile Republican House majority. But it is also putting the governor at odds with her past. Not only did the governor benefit from the election law she’s trying to change — it launched her career into politics. About 14 years ago Hochul, then the Erie County Clerk, won a special election to Congress in a red-leaning Buffalo-area district. Had the bill she is supporting — and now pausing — been in place when she was running for Congress, her path to victory likely would have been much more difficult. Hochul almost seemed to acknowledge as much while explaining her support for the measure last week. “I won in a special election at the end of May 2011 — May 24th, in fact. I won big,” she told Capitol reporters at an unrelated press conference. “I point that out because the turnout was not high. You know, that was when primaries were in September. If this election had been in September, there would have been much more voter participation, which is really important.” She lost reelection a year and a half later, and Hochul didn’t win another election where she led the ticket until 2022 when Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin came surprisingly close to beating her in the governor’s race. Fast forward to Monday: Now the governor, Hochul pressed pause on a bill she was touting last week to allow Democrats to delay filling the congressional seat in Stefanik’s deep-red district, ensuring Republicans spend more weeks down a seat in the House. A person familiar with the matter told Playbook PM on Monday the governor paused the bill so she could use it as a negotiating tactic against Trump. The two are looking to make a deal on congestion pricing, a policy Hochul has softly defended and Trump has vowed to eliminate. Publicly, Hochul has argued that holding Stefanik’s special election on the same date as the later general election would save money for local election boards and increase voter participation. (That same cost-saving creativity apparently eluded the governor during last year’s special elections for Democratic Reps. Timothy Kennedy and Tom Suozzi.) — Jason Beeferman
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John Catsimatidis is friendly with both Mayor Eric Adams and President Donald Trump and served as one of the backchannels pleading the mayor’s case to the president. | Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images | HOW ADAMS GOT THE NEWS: “It looked like a thousand pounds of bricks off his shoulders,” Republican billionaire John Catsimatidis told Playbook Monday night. In fact, it was Catsimatidis himself who broke the news of DOJ ordering his case dropped to the mayor at a party at Gallaghers Steakhouse for Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. “We went off to the corner to have a Diet Coke and talk a little. And I get the breaking news on my phone and I turned the phone and I showed it to him,” Catsimatidis said, “and you could see in his face, he had an ‘oh, crap’ moment.” Adams reached out to the business magnate earlier Monday to talk to him about something — Catsimatidis would only say it was “nothing that urgent” and not related to the corruption case. So Catsimatidis invited him to Gallaghers. Catsimatidis is friendly with both Adams and Trump and served as one of the backchannels pleading the mayor’s case to the president. Catsimatidis told Playbook he had talked to Trump about Adams’ case “a few months ago” and made the case that “the same people attacked (former Gov. Andrew) Cuomo, attacked him and attacked Eric.” Adams has said he’ll run for reelection as a Democrat, but Catsimatidis isn’t so sure. “I think he is looking for support for the Republican Party. And he may call my daughter,” he said, referring to Manhattan GOP Chair Andrea Catsimatidis. Fox News’ Lauren Green was at the party and caught Adams’ dazed reaction. Catsimatidis said the mayor left soon after getting the news, then he “went off to see his lawyer, I guess.” “Somebody made a comment that it was the mayor’s second happiest moment of his life and I was there with him,” Catsimatidis said. “I guess winning the election must have been number one.” — Jeff Coltin A CURIOUS CUOMO CONNECTION: Mercury Public Affairs has hired a former top fundraiser for Cuomo ahead of his likely mayoral run. Jennifer Bayer Michaels is joining the firm where another Cuomo confidant, Charlie King, is a partner. POLITICO reported last month King is expected to work on a potential City Hall bid by the former governor. Mercury cited her work raising a combined $110 million for Cuomo over two election cycles as well as her work shaping the campaign of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and work on former President Joe Biden’s super PAC, Unite The Country. She was previously CEO of JB Consulting Strategies. “Jen Bayer Michaels is a well-known name in New York’s political, media, business, civic and philanthropic circles,” said King. “She sits at the intersection of the places where Mercury operates and she is able to provide value to our clients. We’re lucky to get her and can’t wait to see the energy and drive she brings to our team.” — Nick Reisman CHARTER CHAT: Adams’ new Charter Revision Commission called in housing experts for its first public meeting at FDNY headquarters in Downtown Brooklyn tonight. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Housing Czar Vicki Been, Barika Williams of the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development and Howard Slatkin of the Citizens Housing and Planning Council are among those called in to testify, a spokesperson for the commission told Playbook. Adams convened the commission to further his “City of Yes” goals of building housing everywhere, though City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams argues it’s designed to block the legislative body from getting its own proposals on the November ballot. — Jeff Coltin More from the city: — Adams sought Monday to clarify a directive governing how city employees should deal with federal immigration authorities. (POLITICO) — Billionaire businessman Elon Musk said the Trump administration is seeking to force the city to return $59 million in federal funding for migrants in “luxury hotels.” (Daily News) — The NYPD apologized for mistakenly accusing a teenager of a fatal shooting at a Brooklyn parade, then failing to retract the false allegation for nearly five months, despite knowing it was incorrect. (AP)
| | | | A message from Uber:  
| | | | | NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY | | | 
Democrat Ken Jenkins and Republican Christine Sculti are competing in Westchester County to finish George Latimer’s term. | Leonardo Munoz/AFP/Getty Images | WESTCHESTER VOTES: It’s Election Day in Westchester County, where Democrat Ken Jenkins and Republican Christine Sculti are competing to finish George Latimer’s term as county executive. The Democrats have the edge. Jenkins was appointed to serve as county executive until today’s special election and filled the seat vacated by Latimer, who’s now in Congress. Jenkins was Latimer’s deputy. Sculti is a formidable challenger. She was chief adviser to Latimer’s predecessor, Rob Astorino. And she was boosted Monday by a Truth Social post from the president, though not by name. “She’s the perfect person to reverse course in the way the county’s been going with sanctuary county laws, overspending, higher taxes,” Astorino told Playbook. “The county needs some fresh blood and some new eyes, instead of the career Democrats who have been running it into the ground.” Meanwhile, Latimer called Jenkins “supremely qualified” and a critical part of his administration “lowering property taxes, reducing violent crime, addressing climate change, helping poor- and middle-class residents.” The House Democrat, who defeated Jamaal Bowman last June, said he believes today’s vote is a referendum on Trump as the first major race since the president’s flurry of executive orders. “A big win for Ken is a loss for Donald Trump,” Latimer told Playbook. Astorino disagreed, saying it’s too early and arguing that Westchester voters are concerned about local issues like the recent “collapse of the Playland agreement." — Emily Ngo SPORTS PAGE: New York’s most prominent Buffalo Bills booster is going to bat for fans of downstate teams. Hochul on Monday called on cable company Altice and the MSG Network to settle their ongoing carriage dispute, which has blocked subscribers from watching the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. Hochul, in part, is taking a page from the populist posture of Rep. Pat Ryan, a Hudson Valley Democrat who has railed against the carriage battle and, more broadly, knocked the increasing difficulty for sports fans of finding games on streaming or cable. “New Yorkers are proud sports fanatics, and blocking Knicks, Rangers and Islanders fans from watching programming they’ve paid to watch is simply unconscionable,” Hochul said. State regulators are also involved: Department of Public Service CEO Rory Christian in a letter to Altice called on the company to give more information on how subscribers will receive a credit for the blackout period. “We look forward to working with Governor Hochul to fix the outdated programming model that does not align with how consumers watch TV today,” said Lisa Anselmo, a spokesperson for Optimum, Altice’s New York subsidiary. “In the meantime, while we help customers by offering a variety of more options, MSG Networks has done nothing to make their content more affordable and has made no effort to assist impacted fans.” — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Hochul has banned AI app DeepSeek from state devices over surveillance fears. (New York Post) — The death of Robert Brooks is forcing a reckoning at state prisons. (LoHud) — Education officials are pushing back on Hochul’s plans for the State Museum. (Times Union)
| | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | | 
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is laying out oversight, litigation, legislation and communication as the Dems plan to counteract President Donald Trump's policies. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | SCHUMER’S BLUEPRINT: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer used a “dear colleague” letter to lay out Democrats’ plan to confront Trump, POLITICO reports. But he didn’t go so far as to threaten to withhold Dem votes that the GOP will need to pass a spending bill next month. Instead, the Brooklyn Democrat outlined oversight, litigation, legislation and communication as the routes his relatively powerless party will try to take. “Unwilling to do the hard work of bipartisan governance, President Trump has handed the keys of the Presidency to his cronies, sycophants, and radicals who are hell-bent on pursuing a coordinated agenda,” the senior senator wrote in his letter. (Trump and his aides have said the administration is streamlining the federal government and eliminating waste.) Over the weekend, Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) said Democrats could withhold their support ahead of the March 14 deadline to avoid a government shutdown — one of their limited instances of leverage. “They have, for the last two years, needed Democratic votes for every single continuing resolution, and they should not count on that this time,” Kim told NBC News Sunday of Republicans. Schumer did not go that far on Monday. “Democrats stand ready to support legislation that will prevent a government shutdown. Congressional Republicans, despite their bluster, know full well that governing requires bipartisan negotiation and cooperation,” he said. — Emily Ngo FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Republican Rep. Mike Lawler will introduce a bill today to expand a foreign visa program — even as the far-right wing of his party has sought to chastise other Republicans who get on board with similar measures. Lawler, who is eyeing a run for governor in 2026, is teaming up with Brooklyn Democratic Rep. Yvette Clarke to reintroduce the Doctors in Our Borders Act, Playbook has learned. The bill would expand the number of foreign graduates of U.S. medical schools who can remain in the country and work as doctors on J-1 visas. “By allowing more doctors trained in the United States to stay and practice here, we can strengthen our healthcare system and ensure patients get the care they need and deserve,” Lawler said in a statement. Lawler said the bill is an effort to tackle doctor shortages around the country, and has the backing of the Healthcare Association of New York State and the Greater New York Hospital Association. Other Republicans and Trump allies — like Elon Musk — have faced scorn from the far reaches of the MAGA world for supporting H-1B visas, a similar program that grants visas to foreign workers in skilled or specialty occupations. Like Musk, Lawler has also faced ire from the far-right faction of his party. In November, he was ridiculed by the online right for celebrating former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal from consideration to be Trump’s attorney general. — Jason Beeferman More from Congress: — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democrats are creating a “Rapid Response Task Force and Litigation Working Group.” (POLITICO) — Schumer visited Schenectady to warn the federal funding freeze could severely impact New York’s community health centers. (WAMC) — GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis floated a pair of bills Monday that would give elderly Americans deeper tax cuts. (New York Post)
| | | | A new era in Washington calls for sharper insights. Get faster policy scoops, more congressional coverage, and a re-imagined newsletter under the leadership of Jack Blanchard. Subscribe to our Playbook Newsletter today. | | | | | | | NEW YORK STATE OF MIND | | — Accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione has accepted nearly $300,000 from people raising money for his legal defense. (Daily News) — A Brooklyn man pleaded guilty on Monday to smuggling hundreds of precious artifacts, including ancient Egyptian talismans. (New York Times) — Griffin Fossella, son of the Staten Island borough president, Vito Fossella, announces a bid for City Council. (Staten Island Advance)
| | | | A message from Uber: Insurance Laws and Lawsuit Abuse create more costs for Uber Riders
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Uber is pushing for commonsense legislative changes that keep all trips covered while bringing down the cost of trips.
Learn More. | | | | | SOCIAL DATA | | Edited by Daniel Lippman MAKING MOVES: Former New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum is retiring from her role as executive director of ethics watchdog Citizens Union after seven years. MEDIAWATCH: A new nonprofit digital newsroom focused on coverage of the Catskills and the Hudson Valley region is set to officially launch Thursday. “The Overlook” will be “dedicated to thoughtful, well-researched, and fearless reporting,” according to its co-founders, Scott Widmeyer and Jacqueline Kellachan. It’s part of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) network. WELCOME TO THE WORLD: Catherine Hicks Cosgrove, a recent graduate of Columbia Business School and an alum of the first Trump White House and Brunswick Group, and Rick Cosgrove, partner at Veritas Capital, on Feb. 4 welcomed Nancy Golden Cosgrove. Her first name is in honor of her grandmother and her middle name honors Rick’s grandmother. Pic … Another pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: State Sen. Luis Sepúlveda … Attorney Arthur Schwartz … MTA’s Chantel Cabrera … Brooklyn Public Library’s Lauren Dovril … DOF’s Caroline Senatore … Shenker Russo & Clark’s Ryan Horstmyer … Dan Barry … Evan Siegfried … ProPublica’s Stephen Engelberg … Rob Hendin … Steven Roberts Missed Monday’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 | | | |
