Personality
This week's biggest Winners & Losers
Who’s up and who’s down this week?
There is nothing more dangerous than a man who has recently read a book that resonates with him. You will not be able to escape this person. He will talk your ear off. Everything that happens will remind him of something from the book. Our mayor demonstrated this danger so well this week when he derailed what should have been a triumphant address about the corruption charges against him being dropped. He brandished FBI Director Kash Patel’s “Government Gangsters,” and said, “I’m going to encourage every New Yorker to read it. Read it and understand how we can never allow this to happen to another innocent American.” According to the Amazon summary, it’s a book about “a sinister cabal of corrupt law enforcement personnel, intelligence agents and military officials at the highest levels of government.” Sounds… interesting. Thanks for the rec, Mr. Mayor! We will definitely check that one out.
Eric Adams -
The New York City mayor can breathe a sigh of relief. His federal charges were finally dropped, with prejudice! He can now officially run a reelection campaign without worrying about his legal troubles. But this time, he’s going independent and skipping the crowded Democratic primary fight. As energy shifts toward the general election and the Working Families Party considers playing spoiler, the mayor’s chances at being reelected suddenly seem… not zero.
Anthony D’Esposito -
Former Long Island Rep. Anthony D’Esposito has a new lease on life after losing his election bid last fall. President Donald Trump has nominated him to be inspector general of the U.S. Department of Labor, setting him up to lead internal controls for one of the federal agencies not immediately on the president’s chopping block. As he and some of his former colleagues are learning, loyalty pays.
Melinda Person -
A bell-to-bell cellphone ban in schools appears to be the first major policy item settled in the late state budget. While most New Yorkers are still waiting to see how things land in the state’s largest spending plan on record, New York State United Teachers President Melinda Person can at least breathe a sigh of relief that one of her union’s biggest priorities is settled. The rest of us remain stuck in budget purgatory as negotiations continue behind closed doors.
Jessica Ramos -
New York City mayoral candidate and state Sen. Jessica Ramos got hit from both sides this week. Her longtime ally, the New York Working Families Party, excluded her from its four-person endorsement slate, even though voters can rank up to five candidates. Even worse, Ramos’ attempt to stop Mets owner Steve Cohen from building a casino in Queens was undermined when state Sen. John Liu announced he’d introduce the parkland alienation bill Cohen needs for his casino proposal to stand a chance – nearly a year after Ramos refused to play ball.
Katrina Armstrong -
Columbia University might as well install a revolving door at Low Library. Katrina Armstrong is out as interim president after managing to anger the university community and potentially President Donald Trump in the same week. Armstrong, who remains head of Columbia’s medical center, took over after Minouche Shafik fled to London in August. Maybe new acting president Claire Shipman – who angered Rep. Elise Stefanik within days of her appointment – should only bring an overnight bag to the presidential mansion.
Brian Cordasco -
Mayor Eric Adams may be getting off the hook on corruption charges, but two former New York City fire chiefs haven’t been so lucky. Brian Cordasco was sentenced to 20 months in prison this week after pleading guilty to accepting bribes to fast-track fire safety approvals. The other former chief, Anthony Saccavino, has also pleaded guilty. Unfortunately for them, the Trump Department of Justice didn’t deign to intervene in their cases.