Winners & Losers 9/4/15

It’s been another busy year for many of us, and a long, relaxing Labor Day weekend is just what New York’s political world needs. So cut out of work early, kick back and enjoy our nice, refreshing list of winners and losers.

WINNERS

Carlos Ghosn – The CEO of Nissan got a boost of momentum when it was announced New York City taxi drivers would be required to switch to the Nissan NV200 when they retire their cabs. Maybe a new look will help the yellow cabs compete against Uber. No matter what, replacing the thousands of yellow cabs is sure to mean plenty of green for the CEO.

Kim Royster – Talk about climbing the ladder. After starting as an administrative aide with the NYPD in 1987, Royster worked all the way up to where she is today, becoming the first African-American woman named assistant chief. The highest ranking African-American in NYPD history will now work on helping to improve and simplify the candidate application and selection process of the force, for which she will no doubt up to the task.

John Samuelsen – He didn’t get everything, but the TWU Local 100 president got results for his workers in a settlement with New York City. A federal lawsuit had challenged a law making a failure to yield a misdemeanor in cases in which a driver injured or killed a pedestrian or cyclist who had the right of way. Now, a driver who fails to “exercise due care” can only be charged if that “due care” would have been used by a “reasonably prudent” driver. It may not be seem like much of a change, but it now gives the union more of a standing to fight cases when bus drivers are indicted.  

Frank Sedita and Emilio Colaiacovo – There's something to be said for transcending party lines to support a candidate based on principle, but the expected cross-endorsement of Sedita, the Democratic Erie County DA, and Colaiacovo, a GOP election law attorney, in two judicial races is raising concerns in Western New York. The likely decision by local party leaders to cross endorse almost assuredly will secure their election victories, but it doesn't seem to be their respective records that will win them that key backing. 

Troy Waffner – Between Nas, butter sculptures and much more at the Great New York State Fair, Waffner, the acting director, is patting himself on the back for having the best opening day attendance since 2009. Plus, the governor unveiled the details of a much-needed redesign of the fairgrounds, to the tune $50 million.

LOSERS

Bill de Blasio - Lilliam Barrios Paoli, one of the most experienced officials in the de Blasio administration, bailed on the mayor this week, and the word is that the veteran of several previous administrations for some reason didn’t feel like this mayor was a good fit. Complaints about homelessness continue to bedevil the mayor as well. And while he gets to actually enjoy Labor Day, he didn’t get an invite to join his best frenemy Cuomo on a high-profile trip to Puerto Rico. Hmph! Who needs him, anyway?

Bill Bratton – On top of squaring off with his predecessor, Ray Kelly, and having yet another suspect escape police custody, the NYPD commissioner was criticized for supporting a controversial report that cites a breakdown of the family structure as an obstacle to black progress (and relations between the police and minorities was already going so well). Plus, a dozen city police officers sued Bratton for discrimination. While he should be doing a victory lap for drops in crime this summer, Bratton can’t catch a break.

Karim Camara - Oops, he did it again. The former assemblyman, who recently left the Legislature for a higher-paying job in the Cuomo administration, found himself locked up for a night earlier this summer after allegations of drunken bullying and buffoonery at a restaurant in Buffalo. Camara, the head of the governor's Office of Faith-Based Development Services, had a similar screwup in 2007, when he was charged with driving while intoxicated. Camara told the Daily News that this latest "situation" was "regretful" - and we're guessing the customers and employees agree.

Joseph Ponte - Being the New York City correction commissioner these days seems to bring more bad days than good days, but this week has been especially bad for Ponte. The city settled for $450,000 with a former inmate at Rikers Island who was hogtied by correction officers and brutally beaten while he remained cuffed, bringing something of a conclusion to the scandal that had forced Ponte to fire a captain and five officers involved in the attack. And just as one settlement concludes, another is flaring up: The Times published a video of another Rikers inmate dying on the floor of the prison from a diabetes complication while officers stood by. With the city in settlement negotiations, Ponte will again be putting the city’s tab not only on the taxpayers’ wallets, but their souls as well.

James Sanders - The state senator reportedly told employees last year that federal investigators were probing him and that anyone with “baby-mama drama” or a “white powder issue” needed to resolve such matters immediately. If everyone could just clean up their act, the feds might not be able to use staffers to get to him. Of course, as a manager, that’s not exactly the best way to boost morale.