Winners & Losers
This week’s biggest Winners & Losers
Who’s up and who’s down this week?
Disgraced former Rep. George Santos is set to get sentenced today for the litany of fraud he was convicted of. Prosecutors have asked for seven years, which unfortunately means that any potential papal candidacy that the famed fabulist might have considered probably goes right out the window. Outlandish, you say? With Santos, there is no such thing. New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan was more seriously floated as a longshot contender to be the next pope, which could bring some suicide humor to the Vatican. (No seriously, check out the Catholic Conference’s “13 Reasons Why” reference about Medical Aid in Dying.) Either way, Dolan is headed to Rome to participate in the best viral marketing campaign for a movie in history. But while the world is focused on the conclave in the Italian city, New York’s own Rome made some news this week too.
Jeffrey Lanigan -
While the world’s eyes will soon gaze towards the Roman sky for white smoke, another Rome is saying “we have yogurt!” Chobani will be opening a new $1.2 billion factory in Oneida County’s Rome. The 1,000 jobs that will be created are certainly music to Rome Mayor Jeffrey Lanigan’s ears. An added benefit, the doubling of Chobani’s New York yogurt operation opens a new lucrative market for upstate dairy farmers. Maybe Roberto Gualtieri, mayor of the Italian Rome, should pay Lanigan a visit to talk trade.
Adrienne Adams -
One Adams is on the rise in New York City’s mayoral race, and it’s not Eric. Sure, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is behind in fundraising, stuck in the single-digit polling swamp and is running out of time to catch up to other candidates. But a major union endorsement from District Council 37 gave her campaign a jolt of energy this week, and Attorney General Letitia James will be hitting the campaign trail with her too. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, meanwhile, still dominates the polls and is swimming in dough.
Jennifer Connolly -
Preston High School Principal Jennifer Connolly saw her job – and the education of 600 students – saved this week when the philanthropic arm of Bally’s purchased the Bronx site as the Catholic charter faced closure at the end of the year. Think of the kids, right? And also maybe think of the casino license you’re hoping to get at your nearby golf course? That part feels…not as inspiring…but hey, the school is saved!
Robin Dalton -
What goes around comes around? Several years after texting a police chief during a Black Lives Matter protest to “arrest those fuckers” and to “please please please pretty please arrest someone,” former Saratoga Springs public safety commissioner Robin Dalton was arrested herself after allegedly shoplifting from a Walmart. While the BLM protesters were later vindicated by a report from the state Attorney General’s office deeming Dalton and other officials’ actions to be unconstitutional, stealing $100 of merchandise from the country’s largest retailer seems like far less noble of a cause to get arrested over.
Michael Fisher -
The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, led by Bishop Michael Fisher, agreed to a $150 million settlement to resolve more than 800 claims of sexual abuse, with a majority of abuse cases involving clerics. While there are still final approvals remaining, the deal may begin to offer some closure for the victims. Fisher’s not a cardinal, so he won’t be among the 10 U.S. members of the papal conclave, which may or may not feature Ralph Fiennes this year.
Sean Duffy -
There's putting your cards on the table, and then there's giving the dealer your social security number. Federal attorneys in the lawsuit that will decide congestion pricing’s fate accidentally filed a document listing flaws in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s case. The mistakenly filed letter was eventually removed from the court docket, but it will probably be tricky for Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to make the case against the controversial tolling program when his own peers think it’s built on quicksand.