This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Eric Adams essentially has the New York City mayor’s race in the bag, and nothing Republican challenger Curtis Sliwa did at a debate this week managed to change that. Adams secured fantastic odds at becoming the city’s next mayor when he clinched the Democratic primary in June, and while Sliwa tried his best to attack the Brooklyn borough president at the first of two mayoral debates this month, Adams showed that no amount of “buffoonery” from his opponent will knock him off course. 

They’re back! Back in the New York groove! Or rather, the New York Appellate Division. Last year, with the pandemic putting the squeeze on everyone’s budgets, the court system decided not to recertify most judges over the age of 70. That’s the mandatory retirement age, but those on the Supreme Court can serve up to six years more upon request. Sheri Roman, Ellen Gesmer, David Friedman and Joseph J. Maltese got the chop, but returned when the courts had the money to hire them back. And now the governor put them back in the Appellate Division, doing what they do best.

Controversy? What controversy? The citywide hotel special permit, which critics say will act as a giveaway to Rich Maroko’s influential Hotel Trades Council, was reportedly in danger of dying in the City Planning Commission. Then Mayor Bill de Blasio, the best friend the hotel workers union ever had, swooped in and whipped up some votes. Sure, there’s still a looming fight with the council, and now a lawsuit. But the union’s shocking support of de Blasio’s presidential campaign is starting to make sense. 

The State party chair continues in his flop era by using a valid question about why he won’t endorse Democratic mayoral nominee India Walton as an excuse to compare a Black socialist woman to ex-KKK leader David Duke. If that sounds offensive and nonsensical out of context, don’t worry, it is just as bad in context. But hey, at least he immediately and sincerely apologized … oh wait, just getting word that he actually sent out a statement that was 15% half-hearted mea culpa and 85% complaining that “discourse today is like walking in a minefield.” Maybe he can give Andrew Cuomo another call to vent about it.

Speaking of Cuomo, a new poll shows the deposed king of state politics could theoretically be a competitive candidate in the 2022 Democratic gubernatorial primary except for the fact that he is now more unpopular than Donald Trump. That is not exactly a great place to launch a political comeback – no matter what Bill de Blasio says – so Andy better stick to fishing unless recent rumors are just his way of trolling us all from beyond the political grave. 

New York's Finest haven’t been looking particularly fine this past week. A viral video spread around the internet showing NYPD officers shoving a subway rider through an emergency exit – all because he had the audacity to ask the officers to put on masks required by the MTA. Even de Blasio – notorious for saying he hasn’t seen videos of police misbehavior – saw the video and condemned it. The NYPD’s Special Victims Division also got slammed for inadequately responding to cases of sexual assault. And to top it all off, the Civilian Complaint Review Board recommended that the city discipline dozens of cops for misconduct during last year’s racial justice protests. Dermot Shea also has the added bonus of getting a particularly vaccine-resistant workforce to comply with the city's new mandate.