Winners & Losers 9/30/16

A 2011 New York Times profile of Fred Dicker noted that the LCA legend has in his office a mock front page of the Post with the headline “Dicker Quits/Cuomo Declares Holiday.” Well, Dicker officially ended his Monday morning must-read column in the Post, but the governor can’t be calling any holidays after the week he’s had. Read on to see who feels like calling a parade and who’s lying low.

WINNERS

Jeff Blau & Steven Roth – It’s been over a decade since Blau’s Related Companies and Roth’s Vornado Realty Trust were awarded contracts for the redevelopment of the Farley Post Office into the Moynihan Station extension of Penn Station. But after all this time, and a fair bit of uncertainty, it’s looking likely that the two companies will still get the massive $1.595 billion project after Cuomo announced the project would be fast-tracked and completed by 2020.

Jim Heaney – At City & State’s 10-year anniversary gala, U.S. Attorney Preet Bhara credited investigative journalists for turning him on to irregularities in the bidding process for the Riverbend project in Buffalo, and that tip ultimately led to last week’s wide-ranging criminal complaint. Most observers interpreted Bharara’s praise as a nod to Heaney and his Investigative Post, the first outlet to highlight the oddly specific requirements in the project’s request for proposals.

Bertha Lewis – Despite shared ties to the defunct advocacy group ACORN, Bill de Blasio has been a tough nut to crack for Lewis. A major de Blasio backer in 2013, she soured on the mayor when he failed to focus on sending government contracts to firms owned by women and minorities. Her recent remark that she is “not supporting his re-election” apparently got through, as he just announced new steps to boost MWBEs.

Tom Prendergast – Between train delays, fare hikes and construction mishaps, the MTA doesn’t get much in the way of good news these days. But the head of the authority must be breathing a little easier after a new report from the state comptroller’s office found the MTA’s financial situation is looking much improved. Maybe that extra money could help them cover their share of the costs of a new Penn Station.

Chuck Schumer – He didn’t introduce the bill, but as the senior senator for New York, Schumer’s voice mattered more than anyone’s as Congress overrode President Barack Obama’s veto of legislation that would allow families of 9/11 victims sue the government of Saudi Arabia. With the first veto override of Obama’s presidency, Schumer now gets to promise families their day in court.

LOSERS

Gladys Carrión – The mayor didn’t mince any words in blaming city social workers for missing warning signs after a 6-year-old boy named Zymere Perkins died, allegedly at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend. In fact, there were five probes related to the neglected boy’s mother by Carrión’s Administration for Children’s Services. The death isn’t just a failure for the commissioner – it’s a defeat for de Blasio, who had made it a priority to turn around ACS.

Andrew Cuomo – It’s hard for the governor to walk away damage-free from the recent arrests of several confidants and former aides – and trying to lay the blame on SUNY isn’tfooling anyone. On top of voters showing their frustration with the state of affairs – only 40 percent approve of him – Cuomo also has to deal with somecyber-bullying from suspended SUNY Polytechnic Institute President Alain Kaloyeros.

Laureen Jacobs – Former state Sen. George Maziarz filed a civil suit seeking answers from Jacobs, his former campaign account treasurer, on where exactly more than $100,000 in unitemized expenditures actually went. While the suit might take the focus off of Maziarz, who reportedly remains a target of state and federal law enforcement, Jacobs will have to deal with renewed scrutiny as the once-powerful legislator attempts to clear his name.

Stephanie Miner – The Syracuse mayor has never been best buddies with Cuomo – and this week isn’t going to help make that relationship any better. The state party, which the governor controls, quietlyremoved Miner from her position on the Democratic National Committee. Sources said Miner didn’t put up much of a fight. We wonder if it has anything to do with the “don’t get mad,get even” motto.

Tony Shorris – The deputy mayor tried to deflect the New York City Council’s pent-up frustration during one of their first truly investigative oversight hearings. But he triggered a new controversy: Lawmakers said they were led to believe that he could testify for only two and a half hours because he was flying to Oklahoma with the mayor. Shorris said he simply had to cover for the boss during the trip. Either way, the miscommunication didn’t ease tensions over the lack of transparency with the controversial Rivington House land deal.