New York State Politics

Obama Team To Support Gov. Cuomo In Campaign Finance Reform Battle

This past January, Governor Cuomo reiterated a point in his State of the State address that he's made since his first day on office: New York needs to completely overhaul its campaign finance system a-s-a-p. "We must enact campaign finance reform because people believe that campaigns are financed ... More >>

Gov. Cuomo's Gun Control Push Already Hit A Wall In Albany

Did anyone expect this to go smoothly at all? Doubtful.Echoing sentiments from both President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg, we learned last week that Governor Andrew Cuomo planned on making gun control a top priority after the Newtown tragedy. His administration called for tougher background checks for ... More >>

Andrew Cuomo Launches Commission To Figure Out Why New York Utilities Companies Suck

It's no secret that Governor Andrew Cuomo is pretty pissed off with the lack of preparedness New York utilities companies had for Hurricane Sandy. It's also no secret that New York utilities companies have absolutely sucked at responding to power outages caused by the storm -- and Cuomo wants to kno ... More >>

Andrew Cuomo, Total Buzz Kill? Gov Plans on Scaling Back Pot Policy, Report Claims

This is almost as uncool as that time you accidentally ate a tray of brownies right before going a funeral: Gov. Andrew Cuomo might scale back plans to decriminalize open pot possession. The move would serve as a compromise with the Senate Republicans who oppose his policy, according to the Wall St ... More >>

Cuomo's Plan To Decriminalize "Public View" Marijuana Doesn't Make Him A Hero -- It Makes Him Bipolar

Yesterday, law enforcement officials and state lawmakers got in line to pucker up to the rump of Governor Andrew Cuomo because of his plan to decriminalize "public view" marijuana possession. Cuomo's move is being heralded as a civil rights victory for young Hispanic and African-American New Yorkers ... More >>

Fred Dicker To Write Biography Of Andrew Cuomo: The Bromance Continues

Andrew Cuomo cheerleader/New York Post state bureau chief Fred Dicker is penning a biography of his gubernatorial man-crush, which -- if history tells us anything -- will be more of a bromance novel than an objective biography.Dicker announced his upcoming Cuomo bio on his radio show this morning -- ... More >>

Mike Bloomberg to Cuomo: Don't Bring Us Back to the Bad Old Days Before Food Stamps Fingerprinting

​Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to go back to the "bad old days" and Mayor Michael Bloomberg won't stand for it. That's what Bloomberg said this morning on his weekly appearance on WOR's "The John Gambling Show," when discussing food stamps policy. This latest governor-mayor showdown concerns Cuomo ... More >>

Governor Andrew Cuomo Delivers His State of the State Address [Live Video]

Watch live streaming video from newyorkstateofficeofthegovernor at livestream.com Here is live streaming video of Governor Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address from Albany. 1:45 -- Lt. Governor Bob Duffy (who, the last time we saw him in person, was introducing Governor Cuomo prior to the sign ... More >>

Gay Marriage Gaining Momentum Rapidly in New York State

​The prospects of gay marriage moving forward in the State Senate look far healthier today than they did even 24 hours ago. Since then, three Democratic and the first ever Republican state senators have move from the "no" to "yes" columns, bringing the total number of yes votes to 30. Trying ... More >>

The Peggy Lipton Affair Takes Down Another Albany Big Shot

​We got yet another fascinating look inside the Albany favors factory yesterday when Andrew Cuomo released his latest revelation in the state pension fund scandal. Pat Lynch, the uber-lobbyist and close friend and ally of Sheldon Silver, was slapped with a half-million-dollar fine and banned f ... More >>

The Heavyweight Albany Lobbyist They Call 'Feathers'

James FeatherstonhaughMy cover story this week about Albany lobbyists featured "Feathers," otherwise known as James Featherstonhaugh, who is the final toll on the thruway to the state capitol. Everyone, apparently, pays. Over the course of a four-decade career as unofficial state gatekeeper, Feathe ... More >>

Steve Rattner's Book, Overhaul: the Cuomo and Schumer Revelations

​Steve Rattner, the financier and Democratic fundraiser who served in 2009 as President Obama's car czar, takes some guarded shots at New York's political elite in his yet-to-be-released book, Overhaul. He paints himself as a victim in the ongoing Securities & Exchange Commission investigati ... More >>

David Paterson Shadow-Boxes Himself; Press Awards Him TKO

​The biggest joke in Albany these days is the supposed rehabilitation of David Paterson. The New York Post kicked it off with an editorial salute on Thursday, June 17. By Monday, the Associated Press was posting a profile-in-courage hurrah, calling him "a bit of a hero in a time that despera ... More >>

Does Cuomo's Favored AG Candidate Have Her Own Pedro Espada Problem?

Rice​It sounds like an exotic Sandra Lee recipe: pigeon and rice. Lee is the Andrew Cuomo gal pal who took time off from her Food Network on-camera cooking duties to appear with him at his gubernatorial announcement and was famously asked by Roseanna Scotto recently on Fox Five when Andrew wo ... More >>

Andrew Cuomo's Pledge Proving Tricky for Fellow Dems

By Gavin Aronsen Andrew Cuomo, New York's likely next governor, has made it known that fellow Democratic office seekers should sign onto a single-page pledge to reform Albany if they expect to win his endorsement for this fall's election. But only two of his hopeful AG successors, Nassau County DA ... More >>

Andrew Cuomo's Biggest Rival Won't Be the G.O.P.

It's Shelly Silver and the old-school Dems in his race to Governor

The Truth Behind Troopergate

A capital melodrama starring Eliot Spitzer, Joe Bruno and Andrew Cuomo

He Shot the Sheriff

Spitzer guns down Albany's real clean-up man

The New Dealer

With Spitzer at the table, Pataki's casino cronies pull an inside straight

Twisted Spitzer

Note to good-guy governor-elect: 10 reasons to stay Hevesi’s execution

A Hevesi Heresy

Daring to doubt the governor's wisdom

The Jets' End Run

Will Bloomberg and Pataki spend billions without legislative approval?

New York's Prince of Darkness

Pataki Policies Put Us at the Blackout Brink

How Pataki Won

Governor Strikes Strongman Pose, Wipes His Hands Clean

Pataki's Class Bias

Guv Seeks Sacrifice From Average New Yorkers, Protects High-End Friends

Lies, Damned Lies, and Campaign Promises

Pataki Spins Houdini Math

Pataki's Ex–Labor Aide Charged

Former Commissioner Drove Own Sweet Deals

Jeb & George

Bush Slated to Pay Top Dollar for Libby Pataki’s Florida Land

Bad Policy, Big Bucks

How Pataki's Disastrous Energy Plan Fattened His Friends and Campaign Coffers

The Scandal That Will Not Die

How Pataki Protects the People Who Fix the Parole Board

Pataki's Sick Department of Health

How a Collusive Contagion Has Infected a $34 Billion Bureaucracy

Labor's Cheap Date With Pataki

It's Solidarity—For the Time Being, Anyway

Senate for Sale

GOP Uses Public Pots of Gold to Entice Converts

McCall's Mess

Is the Media Hit on His Lieutenant Governor Legitimate?

Just Say Maybe?

Politicians Posture but Rockefeller Reforms Still Elusive

The Imaginary Ticket

Will Pataki and Donohue Really Serve Out Their Terms?

Scandal Cash

Adult-Home Barons Purchased Pataki Inside Track

Lobbying for Leniency

Scandal-Scarred Adult Homes Buy Pataki Protection

New York’s Anti-Terror Express

State Pols Ride a Troubling Crime Agenda Toward Re-Election

New York’s Bush Boys

Pataki, Sweeney, Powers, Fossella to Prosper in Dubya Reign

2001: An Election Odyssey

Races All Over the City Promise a ‘Mad, Mad’ Year

The Albany Glacier

While Everything Else Changes, the State Legislature Remains Frozen in Time

‘A New Day’

With Silver’s Support, New York Gets Best Chance to Fix Rockefeller Drug Laws

Rebellion of the Hollow Men

Albany Dems Blast Assembly Speaker’s ‘Autocratic Style’

Stiffed!

State Legislature Slices Waiters’ Minimum-Wage Raise

Green With Envy

Pataki Wrestles Spitzer for Eco-Laurels

Racism and Favoritism In Pataki Land

Lawsuit Exposes the Secret Albany World of a Disengaged Governor

Rudy Vs. George

Their new battle is more about the conservative party than the schools

Pataki Uncovered

Pataki's Pap

The make-believe governor spins his boomtime fantasy