Whatever Bowman’s fate, lefties will keep up pro-Palestinian fight

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Jun 25, 2024 View in browser   By Emily Ngo City Council Member Tiffany Cabán (left) and New York Working Families Party co-director Ana María Archila campaign for left-leaning candidates in Queens. | Emily Ngo/POLITICO FINAL THOUGHTS: Allies of Rep. Jamaal Bowman are bracing for his expected defeat tonight, but resolved it won’t spell doom for fellow pro-Palestinian voices in government. Bowman’s left-leaning coalition has barreled into today’s primary with a reinforced message that the world must not look away from suffering in Gaza, understanding it could cost him his seat that straddles Westchester County and the Bronx. “AIPAC is obviously trying to tell a story that support for the freedom of Palestine, that support for a cease-fire is unpopular,” New York Working Families Party co-director Ana María Archila told Playbook. “They can’t hide the sun with their hands, with their money.” Officials affiliated with the WFP and the Democratic Socialists of America stumped across the state today for candidates that have put the Palestinian plight on the ballot. The picture is bigger than Bowman’s race against challenger George Latimer, they said. While an offshoot of AIPAC made national headlines with an unprecedented $15 million in anti-Bowman ads, groups like the Democratic Majority for Israel and Solidarity PAC are also spending against candidates critical of Israel. “Just like with Congress member Bowman, the state candidates — whether they be Claire Valdez, Jonathan Soto or Eon Huntley — are facing tens of thousands of dollars in attack ads and spending purely because they have spoken up in opposition to the massacre of Palestinian men, women and children,” Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani told Playbook, saying the Assembly races “should also be seen as indicating where New Yorkers are on this question.” Lefties are leaning into public support for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. Mamdani noted some ads targeting Bowman don’t mention Israel, instead focusing on instances of daylight between the Squad member’s voting record and President Joe Biden’s agenda. “We have made clear in many ways that Bowman has a dangerous record on Israel, including through digital ads,” responded Patrick Dorton, spokesperson for AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project. “He denied the rape of Israeli women on Oct. 7, calling it lies and propaganda.” Months after POLITICO first reported on the remarks, Bowman explicitly apologized for them. Mark Mellman, president of DMFI, said the incumbent was down 17 points before his group ran ads and mailed fliers. “His constituents didn’t like his divisive tactics and his anti-Biden votes,” he added. And Team Latimer has called charges that he is bought by special interests a Bowman diversion. “They focus on money, we focus on grassroots support and Democratic results,” Latimer campaign spokesperson Yuridia Peña said. Lefties, however, have every intention to keep the spotlight on the outsized influence of outside spending. “Folks that are being financed by the AIPACs, by these MAGA donors are going to make it seem like, ‘Well, we were elected. We represent the majority,’ but simple polling says otherwise,” City Council Member Tiffany Cabán told Playbook of pro-Palestinian sentiment. “And I wouldn’t throw in the towel for Jamaal just yet. We’ve always said it’s people over money.” — Emily Ngo   Understand 2024’s big impacts with Pro’s extensive Campaign Races Dashboard, exclusive insights, and key coverage of federal- and state-level debates. Focus on policy. Learn more.     KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION Rep. Ritchie Torres is caught in a social media fight with former Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou. | Francis Chung/POLITICO WHAT’S WITH THE BEEF?: “You are utterly delusional.” “Not only is he reactionary and vindictive, he has been ableist and full of hate and disdain.” “You’re a pathologically unstable person (your reputation precedes you) and a political has-been.” “When your staff dislike you like this, you should know you are not fit for leadership.” “A complete clown and crackpot.” This isn’t Mean Girls, it’s one of the nastiest feuds in New York politics. The online beef between Rep. Ritchie Torres and former state Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou just keeps and keeps on going. And like a car crash, it’s hard to look away. According to Niou, the trouble started when she commented on one of Torres’ posts on X which claimed to share negative experiences of his former staffers. “When your staff dislike you like this, you should know you are not fit for leadership,” Niou posted. Fifteen days later, they are still at war, and it just keeps getting uglier. Today Torres called Niou a “loser languishing in the political wilderness.” We asked Torres, what gives? Why keep responding to someone who no longer holds office when you serve in congress and hold a national profile? “If someone attacks me, I return fire. It is that simple,” Torres texted Playbook. “Yuh-Line Niou has as much relevance to me as she has to NY politics. None.” Niou also issued a statement of her own on the beef: “Today is Election Day, I wish elected officials would be out there talking to constituents about their actual needs rather than making messed up, misogynistic, ableist, ridiculous comments on Twitter about others.” Torres, referencing his own battle with depression, denied Niou’s repeated accusations that he is ableist. He also said he takes antidepressant medication everyday and “would be the last one to fault anyone for a disability.” “If she has a disability, I am not aware of one,” he wrote. “I do not know her medical history, and it is none of my business.” — Jason Beeferman From the Capitol Gov. Kathy Hochul's decision to pause congestion pricing means the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will need to make billions of dollars in cuts to the agency, a report from the state comptroller shows. | Courtesy of Gov. Kathy Hochul's office MA$$ TRAN$IT MONEY: New York’s creaky mass transit infrastructure stands to become a lot shabbier. Hochul’s decision to indefinitely pause the congestion pricing toll plan will require New York City mass transit officials to cut $17 billion in infrastructure projects, a report released today by Comptroller Tom DiNapoli concluded. The report by DiNapoli is the most comprehensive yet to detail the financial hit taken by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s bid to upgrade transit around the metropolitan area because of congestion pricing being shelved by the governor. Without a revenue plan in place to fund a $55 billion capital plan, the MTA may have to put off maintenance and expected upgrades, DiNapoli’s report found. Many of the projects were meant to put stations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Basic maintenance for new cars and buses has also been put in doubt. The MTA previously announced it had halted an expansion of the Second Avenue subway line as a direct result of the toll program’s pause. “The MTA’s decisions in the coming weeks and months will affect riders for years to come,” DiNapoli said. “The MTA will be forced to put off badly needed investment in expansion and improvements to the system. And there are few revenue options for the MTA. State lawmakers and Hochul have not been able to agree on alternatives to the tolls, which would have raised $1 billion a year and helped finance $15 billion in municipal bonds. The pause has also put federal matching funds at risk. Both a payroll mobility tax increase and scooping $1 billion from the state’s general fund were rejected by lawmakers days after Hochul dropped her support for congestion pricing. "Governor Hochul has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the MTA, as evidenced by the funding she secured in last year's budget to rescue the system from a fiscal cliff,” Hochul spokesperson Anthony Hogrebe said. “The governor fully understands the fiscal ramifications of pausing congestion pricing, which is why she has repeatedly made clear she remains committed to delivering the funding needed for the MTA's capital plan. New Yorkers can rest assured that they will see reliable service and continued investment in the system." In yanking support for the tolling plan, the governor cited ongoing cost-of-living concerns for New Yorkers and the shaky post-pandemic recovery. “An update on the MTA capital program following the pause on congestion pricing will be presented to the MTA Board this Wednesday,” MTA spokesperson Dave Steckel told Playbook. — Nick Reisman LOBBYISTS PUT UP BIG NUMBERS: Lobbying firms continued to spend big in New York as they seek to influence state government as they burned through a record $360 million during calendar year 2023. On primary day of all days, the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government published its report of the biggest lobbying spenders last year. The big takeaway? Health care groups and unions that aligned to advocate for a boost in medicaid reimbursement rates shelled out the most, and it paid off in some ways. The Healthcare Education Project spent $8.3 million on lobbying last year, up from $5.7 million in the prior year, topping the list. The Greater New York Hospital Association also spent $4.7 million last year, making them the third top spender. After action from lawmakers, New York’s hospitals are expected to see billions in financial support through higher Medicaid rates that were approved by the Legislature this year. But the medicaid boost is only a one-time measure. The group “American Opportunity,” which advocated for Hochul’s fiscally-moderate budget proposal and is backed heavily by former mayor Mike Bloomberg, came in second in the list. Cannabis-connected Siebert Williams Shank & Co also made the list. — Jason Beeferman IN OTHER NEWS — FEDS INVESTIGATING ADAMS TRIPS TO CHINA: The FBI and Manhattan federal prosecutors are looking into at least one trip taken by Mayor Eric Adams that was partially paid for by the Chinese government when he served as Brooklyn Borough President. Feds are also investigating his use of a private email server and the disappearance of multiple records concerning trips to China. (New York Post) — WE’RE NO. 1: New York City has the world’s worst traffic congestion, and it costs the city about $9.1 billion in lost time. (Bloomberg) — A LIST OF ADAMS CHALLENGERS: Need a reminder? These are the individuals who have already thrown in their hat — and those who are considering to in the race for NYC mayor. (The City) — BUSTED: The MTA and NYPD arrested 50 drivers and seized 192 vehicles in a recent crackdown on toll evaders. (Crain’s New York) — STOLEN BASES: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appears to have become too mainstream for much of her progressive base. (Bloomberg) Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? Read it here.   Follow us on Twitter Jason Beeferman @JasonBeeferman   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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