Winners & Losers

This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Who’s up and who’s down this week?

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There’s a long history of politicians and other influential individuals in New York (and elsewhere) invoking the Nazis to score political points, although such analogies are usually so controversial that they backfire. In the case of a little hamlet in New York called Swastika, there’s an even longer history: Locals are defending the name by noting that both the symbol and the toponym predate Nazi Germany, though critics say a change is still long overdue. This week’s headlines put some other New Yorkers on the map – and on our Winners & Losers list.

WINNERS:

Carlos Menchaca -

For members of the New York City Council, few victories taste quite as sweet as winning a controversial land use battle. Council Member Carlos Menchaca sided with community activists over the summer when he announced he would oppose a major Industry City rezoning in his district. The powerful developers wouldn’t take no for an answer, though, and kept pushing. But Menchaca fought to make sure the proposal didn’t pass, and David triumphed over Goliath.

Scott Stringer -

Politics is full of folks who smile in front of the cameras together, but would knife each other in the back if they had the chance. Now if New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer were that type of person, he would be able to keep his knife in the sheath, since New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson decided he won’t run for mayor after all, leaving Stringer as the leading white guy explaining why a white guy should be mayor.

Rikien Wilder -

It's not every day the MTA declares someone a hero. Rikien Wilder helped police nab the suspect accused of vandalizing train tracks and derailing an A train on Sunday. Wilder noticed the man putting objects on the train tracks, and even removed a few himself. After the wily suspect managed to place more, Wilder chased the man and held him down until officers could arrive to arrest him, suffering a sprained wrist in the process . The proactive New Yorker has been well-rewarded, earning a year of unlimited subway and bus rides – as well as an enormous novelty MetroCard.

LOSERS:

Mark Crispin Miller -

New York University’s mission is “to be a top quality international center of scholarship, teaching and research.” But one of the school’s professors, Mark Crispin Miller, has a bizarre concept of the word “teaching.” The NYU professor of media, culture, and communication allegedly told students that "wearing masks doesn't prevent the spread of COVID-19" and promoted the purported benefits of hydroxychloroquine. If that’s not outlandish enough, he also has been accused of calling 9/11 an inside job and comparing George W. Bush to Hitler.

Scott Solomon -

You gotta wonder what the former consultant to Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan was thinking when he racked up tens of thousands of dollars in expenses on her campaign credit card. Fine dining and some donor-funded dry cleaning must’ve relieved some financial stress at the time, but his allegedly felonious shopping spree is now causing him serious legal headaches. On top of it all, the Pig N' Whistle, his old restaurant in Saratoga Springs, went bust.

Eric Trump -

A state judge rejected a request made by Eric Trump on Wednesday to postpone his deposition regarding a fraud investigation into the family business. The younger Trump said he was willing to testify following the presidential election, for fear that his deposition may be politicized – which the judge found to be unpersuasive. It’s almost as if the state’s justice system is willfully ignoring Eric Trump’s busy skeet shooting fundraiser schedule.

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