This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

The one-time Guv’s resignation in disgrace – following intense outside pressure – was supposed to be just the beginning of his consequences. But it’s looking more and more likely that’ll be the end of it. Albany prosecutors want to drop the criminal case against him (though the once imperial governor may still have to suffer the absolute indignity of a court appearance). And before that, three prosecutorial magi brought gifts. Not gold, frankincense and myrrh, but announcements of no charges from the Nassau County, Manhattan and Westchester County DAs. 

Democratic dealmaking with Republicans is alive and well in Monroe County. The last surviving member of a breakaway caucus in the Monroe County Legislature, Legislator Sabrina LaMar became the first Black woman to lead the body thanks to the help of Republicans. LaMar did not have a good relationship with other Democrats in the county Legislature, so her narrow victory is all thanks to the GOP. And she will caucus with them too, technically giving Republicans the majority despite being outnumbered. But it’s still also technically the first time a Democrat has led the Legislature in 30 years and a big win for LaMar.

During her State of the State address this week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that she supports bringing back to-go cocktails permanently. This is a major boon for Fahy, the Assembly member who introduced legislation that would allow bars and restaurants to continue to sell to-go drinks in perpetuity. While this could be a major win for the state’s COVID-battered economy – provided the passing of this legislation, which is still in committee, happens – we can all agree that the real winners are those of us who are 21 and up.

City jails watchdog Sarena Townsend was fired this week by Mayor Eric Adams’ newly appointed Department of Correction Commissioner Louis Molina in yet another DOC staffing move by the new mayor that pleased the correction officers’ union. Townsend churned through thousands of backlogged use-of-force complaints at the behest of a federal monitor. Her reform-minded ex-boss, Vincent Schiraldi, was also shown the door by the Adams’ administration.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has said nope to JCOPE. The controversial Joint Commission on Public Ethics has accumulated plenty of criticism over the years. It’s slow to investigate powerful politicians, it lacks transparency, it has faced backlash for its handling of sexual harassment accusations, its members have been previously accused of leaking information to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo – you get the idea. If the governor has her way, the controversial ethics body would be replaced with a new, differently structured watchdog that would actually operate independently. That means Sanford Berland – who took over as JCOPE’s executive director last year – may soon be out of a job after recently taking on the tall task of regaining trust in the ethics board.

At least one of these two Republican incumbents is likely to miss out on another term in office considering how New York is losing one of its 27 congressional seats following the 2020 Census. Both Republican and Democratic members of the Independent Redistricting Commission want to combine key parts of the Central New York districts currently represented by the Trumpista Tenney and the MAGA-averse Katko. Good luck to whoever wins the June 2022 primary once Democrats get their expected gerrymanders in order before the November election.