Hamptons rabbi hosts Cuomo, DeSantis and Hochul

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Jul 28, 2023 View in browser   By Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Hajah Bah Presented by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. | Scott Olson/Getty Images A speech from Ron DeSantis on Friday. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday. And Shabbat services in between. It wasn’t an unusual lineup last weekend for the Hampton Synagogue, the modern Orthodox shul in exclusive Westhampton Beach, run by a controversial rabbi. It's become a destination for leaders across the political spectrum: Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) was there earlier in July. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) visited in June. New York City Mayor Eric Adams came each of the last two summers. Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected in August. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) is scheduled to speak on Friday. They come for founding Rabbi Marc Schneier. He’s not your typical religious figure: His work in Muslim-Jewish relations has made him close with political leadership in Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. He’s also been married six times, caught up in a child support case and was expelled from the Rabbinical Council of America in 2015, allegedly for having an affair with a congregant. “Regrettably, I made some unfortunate personal choices and decisions in my life,” Schneier told Playbook in a phone call. “But as I’ve often said, life’s most valuable lessons are learned in the classroom of adversity.” “He certainly does not conduct himself as (an Orthodox Rabbi) and is not accepted as one by the wider Orthodox community,” said one influential Orthodox Jewish source. But the politicians don’t seem to mind. Schneier has been hosting big names for decades, from presidential candidates Joe Lieberman and Hillary Clinton to 2013 New York City mayoral contenders like Christine Quinn, Bill Thompson and John Catsimatidis. Why? Location, location, location. The candidates are coming to the Hamptons anyway to raise money, like DeSantis, who was out east last weekend on a (reportedly underwhelming) fundraising swing. “We used to call it the vacuum cleaner — you just suck it up out here,” publicist Ken Sunshine, a member of the congregation, and a friend of Schneier, said about collecting campaign dollars in the Hamptons. But that’s not all. “The real reason this works is Schneier,” Sunshine said. “He’s a great promoter. And he also knows a lot of the politicians.” So while Schneier calls himself “a cross between a liberal and centrist,” he’s happy to host Republicans like DeSantis, former Rep. Lee Zeldin, and Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.). “Because I see my mission as a rabbi, not to impose my point of view, but to expose people to different points of view,” Schneier said. But even he found last week’s lineup fascinating. “Who were the most bitter of enemies and rivals during COVID? DeSantis and Cuomo,” Schneier said. “Who were the bookends of the Hampton Synagogue last weekend? DeSantis and Cuomo.” HAPPY FRIDAY. WHERE’S KATHY? Making a public safety announcement and delivering remarks at a ribbon cutting for Folwell Senior Housing in Buffalo. WHERE’S ERIC? Participating in the National Urban League conference in Houston and delivering remarks at the Conference of State Majority Leaders back in New York City. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “To all the little girls out there who have big aspirations to work in government, I promise, I promise, I promise, you don’t have to wear high heels to serve the public honorably and professionally,” tweeted former NYC Transit Chief Sarah Feinberg. She was responding to Adams’ comments about women in his administration wearing pumps.   A message from Community Offshore Wind: Community Offshore Wind is helping New York meet its ambitious emission reductions targets – and more. We are lifting up communities and bringing widespread benefits across the state, introducing good-paying union jobs, providing access to childcare for those training and working in the offshore wind industry, creating inclusive workforce development programs, and empowering disadvantaged communities to ensure no one is left behind. We have strong roots in New York, and we are deeply committed to ensuring that New York communities thrive.   ABOVE THE FOLD Mayor Eric Adams has paid regular visits to Washington to demand more federal help with New York City's migrant crisis. | Spencer Platt/Getty Images MOVEMENT ON MIGRANTS? — “Productive” and “constructive.” Members of New York City’s congressional delegation used diplomatic terms Thursday to describe the Capitol Hill huddle they hosted with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Mayor Eric Adams on easing the city’s migrant crisis. In the months leading up to the sit down, Adams has been much blunter about how little the feds have helped. He's also paid regular visits to Washington to demand more federal aid. But in the hour-long, closed-door meeting, according to Rep. Gregory Meeks, Mayorkas said he’d assign a DHS liaison to work directly with Adams’ office. There was also some talk about expedited work authorization for the newcomers. Separately: Adams’ former chief of staff Frank Carone, a lawyer and lobbyist, was in the capital Thursday. He met with President Joe Biden’s senior adviser Tom Perez and then House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, according to a source. — Emily Ngo   SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY.     WHAT CITY HALL IS READING Six Steps for a City that Works Better, by Carol Kellerman in Vital City NYC is under an ‘Excessive Heat Warning’ as 3-day heatwave begins, by Gothamist’s Brittany Kriegstein: “‘Heat kills more New Yorkers every year than any other kind of extreme weather event,’ said Mayor Eric Adams at a press conference by New York City Emergency Management. ‘Access to cooling is a matter of life and death.’” City rushes out notice to fill two long-empty spots on jail release commission, by Daily News’ Graham Rayman: "The panel hasn’t been able to meet because of the two empty slots that still exist 19 months into Mayor Adams’ tenure."   A message from Community Offshore Wind:   WHAT ALBANY'S READING Blake Washington, left, a top aide on the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee and to Speaker Carl Heastie, has been named the state budget director. | Mike Groll/AP Photo Hochul appoints new budget director, by POLITICO’s Bill Mahoney: Blake Washington will replace Bob Megna “this summer,” Hochul announced on Thursday. Washington has been a staffer on the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee since 2002. N.Y. Republican lawmakers file suit to overturn outside income limit, by Spectrum News’ Nick Reisman: “Republicans in the state Legislature are challenging a pending limit on the amount of money New York lawmakers can earn outside of their jobs as elected officials. "The lawsuit... seeks to strike down the $35,000 limit, set to take effect in early 2025.” Hochul: Discrimination compensation top $7M in fiscal 2023, by Newsday’s Oliva Winslow: “Among recipients on Long Island: a Black man who alleged he was discriminated and harassed on the job because of his race and status as a military veteran, and a salesperson who had accused her employer of age discrimination.”   STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.     AROUND NEW YORK —  Donors with checkered pasts keep giving money to Adams’ reelection bid. (Daily News) — Groups hoping to get a casino license have spent at least $1.2 million on outside lobbyists in the last two months. (Crain’s) — New Yorkers charged $100 or more for supposedly free COVID tests will get refunds. (THE CITY) — A migrant tells NPR there are two bathrooms per 90 people at his Brooklyn shelter. (NPR) SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Richard Haass (72) … Scott Pelley … Huma Abedin … Ruby Cramer … CNN’s Kate Bolduan and Annette Choi … NBC’s Courtney Kube … Telisha Bryan of Crain’s New York Business … former A.G. Michael Mukasey … Kristen McGaughey … Jay Zeidman … George Cook … Laura Nahmias MAKING MOVES: Daniel Tietz has joined Oaktree Solutions as chief operating officer and managing director for policy, City & State reported. He was previously commissioner of the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. … Doug Lipari was named executive director of the newly created New York City Mayor’s Office of Community Hiring. He was previously deputy general counsel of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services.   A message from Community Offshore Wind: The clean energy transition is about more than just energy. At Community Offshore Wind, our commitment to communities is at the heart of everything we do. With strong roots in New York, we will deliver widespread benefits across the state and infuse $15 billion into the state economy. This includes creating job training programs to support union labor, investing in our youth to build the workforce of tomorrow, offering childcare for employees and trainees, and building an inclusive clean energy future that empowers disadvantaged communities. Community Offshore Wind is committed to localizing the offshore wind supply chain proposing the first-ever made-in-New-York offshore wind turbines. We have a goal of uplifting communities with the power of clean energy for all.   Real Estate NY State Reaches Deal With Port Authority to Build Affordable Housing at 5 WTC, by Commercial Observer’s Mark Hallum: “Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday that the Public Authorities Control Board (PACB) approved the framework for the 1,200-unit multifamily building earlier in the day, with up to one-third of the units priced for ‘low- and moderate-income residents,’ and with some set aside for victims of 9/11 and their families, Hochul said. "Construction is expected to start in 2024.”   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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