This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

State Attorney General Letitia James had a pretty good week, securing a $2 billion settlement from crypto firm Genesis and seeing the SAFE for Kids Act get the support of former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a boost from legislative leaders in the dying days of session. The legislation was in limbo after being left out of the state budget but is now picking up steam, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul. If it passes, James could find herself back in the courtroom, since the bill has provisions allowing her to sue companies in violation.

When the door to one mayoral appointment closes, another one opens. Carlo Scissura, president and CEO of the New York Building Congress, was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams this week to chair a new Charter Revision Commission – a body that has the potential to propose significant changes to the city charter. Scissura lost out on a potential appointment at the beginning of Adams’ term to lead the city’s Economic Development Corporation after The City reported on his behind-the-scenes work on private property deals that looked an awful lot like lobbying.

As tensions flare over the Israel-Hamas war, New York City schools will send eighth graders to visit the Museum of Jewish Heritage starting this fall. The program, which is part of the school system’s efforts to tackle antisemitism and other forms of hate, is the work of Jewish City Council Member Julie Menin, whose mother and grandmother survived the Holocaust. “We know there are Holocaust deniers,” she told the Times. “When you see this exhibition and you personally witness the stories of survivors, it truly makes a difference.”

Who knew the New York City parks commissioner is actually the no-fun police? It seems that Central Park rules prohibit balloons, tables, chairs, bubbles and “active sports” including tug-of-war and kickball – all staples of children’s birthday parties. Some parents are breaking the rules to allow their children to have fun birthdays, while others are setting up milk crates to put birthday cakes on. Central Park is a gem to be enjoyed, so let’s just let kids be kids.

After a stretch of gorgeous sunny days in the 70s and 80s, a thunderstorm barreled down over New York City – just in time for Donald Trump’s rally in the South Bronx. While the rain didn’t linger into the evening, the mud at Crotona Park kicked up by the heavy downpour sure did. As many Bronx elected officials prepared to counter rally Thursday morning, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to X to express what was likely on many of their minds: “God is good.”

It’s not uncommon for police to close ranks in the face of scrutiny, particularly when officers or departments are accused of serious misconduct. But it seems no issue is too small for the Nassau County Police Department, which was just found to be in contempt of court for ignoring a judge’s order to hand over a phone directory to a reporter. Forget the class action lawsuit brought against Nassau police over alleged racial bias in traffic stops. Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder has been fighting the request for the directory for four years, and even an appellate division court order wasn’t enough for police to give up.