Eric Adams’ summer of love

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Jul 25, 2024 View in browser   By Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman With help from Rich Mendez City lawmakers are livid over ballot proposals from Adams' charter revision commission. | Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office Mayor Eric Adams is talking about turning down the heat with the New York City Council — but the legislators are running hot. Today, his Charter Revision Commission will approve ballot questions that would seize power from the council and give more to the Adams administration. Lawmakers are livid, but Adams sounded sanguine. “All we need to do,” he said Tuesday, “is take a deep breath, meditate, drink a green smoothie, and just be fine.” Of course, Adams has the upper hand so it’s easy for him to call for calm. His charter commission automatically usurps the council’s effort to curb his power with a bill that would give lawmakers approval over some of his top appointees. Adams voiced opposition to the measure but declined to veto the bill, knowing lawmakers would override him. Besides, his plan gives him the power to block it without the veto fight. It also gives him the opportunity to claim he’s turning over a new leaf. “I'm just not going to get involved in those fights anymore,” he said. “I'm fighting for New Yorkers.” The mayor has been fawning over Council Speaker Adrienne Adams in spite of tense budget negotiations. And after the budget passed, City Hall started inviting council members to press conferences. “Eric is trying to mend fences,” a person familiar with the strategy told Playbook. “It’s a significant change to the dynamic at City Hall.” Of course, some members aren’t taking the peace offering. Council Member Jen Gutiérrez, who skipped Adams’ presser in her district, explained she was invited late. “He’s not going above and beyond here,” she said. “That’s the minimum.” The mayor has only ramped up his political peace talk after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. But Speaker Adams didn’t just fall out of a coconut tree. The mayor’s pivot exists in the context of the speaker’s ongoing policy battles with the mayor. She is: Still opposed to mayoral pick Randy Mastro as corporation counsel, whose nomination is due July 31st.  Maintaining the legal fight against City Hall’s refusal to implement a housing voucher law passed by the council.  Authorizing a similar lawsuit fighting City Hall’s opposition to a law limiting solitary confinement in city jails.  Aggressively criticizing the Charter Revision Commission, and threatening to campaign against proposals in November.   “I don’t have too much to say, as far as the mayor coming out now saying, ‘I’m tired of the back and forth,’” the speaker said at a press conference last week. “We’re all tired of the back and forth! Nobody ever wanted a back and forth.” She’s got a good personal relationship with the mayor, on general topics, his fellow Bayside High alum said. “When we speak about individual issues, though,” she added, “they tend to be a little bit different.” — Jeff Coltin HAPPY THURSDAY: Brat summer is dead. Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.   Live briefings, policy trackers, and procedural, industry, and people intelligence from POLITICO Pro Analysis gives you the insights you need to focus your policy strategy this election cycle. Secure your seat.      WHERE’S KATHY? In Erie County with no public schedule. WHERE’S ERIC? Making a transportation- and affordability-related announcement with MTA Chair and CEO Lieber, then hosting a roundtable discussion with leaders in the Venezuelan community. After that, he'll appear live on Rock The Bells Radio’s “The Drama Hour," then host a reception for the African American Mayors Association. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “In that moment, any human being was going to step up and help that senior lady.” — New York City Council member Susan Zhuang, speaking with FOX5 NY about the woman she said she was protecting during a Brooklyn protest last week where Zhuang was arrested and allegedly bit a police officer. ABOVE THE FOLD New York Democrats shared their appreciation for President Joe Biden on social media. | Pool photo by Evan Vucci THANKS FOR POTUS: New York Democratic officials shared messages of gratitude Wednesday night with President Joe Biden after he delivered a speech to the nation on his difficult decision to withdraw his reelection bid and prepare a new generation to lead. “I revere this office, but I love my country more,” Biden said. “Statesmanship and true love of country are not vestiges of the past,” Gov. Kathy Hochul posted shortly afterward. Hochul earlier this week led a virtual meeting of New York delegates to the Democratic National Convention who overwhelmingly pledged their support to Biden’s choice to succeed him, Vice President Kamala Harris. “President Biden has run a great race and left our country a better place. He passed the torch to all of us. It is now our responsibility to save American democracy. We will,” promised House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Wednesday night. He endorsed Harris on Tuesday alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Thank you, President Biden. Your decision is a great act of patriotism for this country you love so much. America is stronger and more prosperous because of your leadership,” Schumer wrote. Biden’s primetime remarks from the White House capped more than three weeks of chaos for a Democratic Party roiled after his debate against Republican former President Donald Trump forced the 81-year-old president’s frailty into the discourse. “I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future all merited a second term. But nothing — nothing — can come in the way of saving our democracy, and that includes personal ambition,” the president said Wednesday. “The best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That is the best way to unite our nation.” — Emily Ngo CITY HALL: THE LATEST NYPD officers were deployed to the U.S. Capitol to respond to pro-Palestinian protesters rallying against Netanyahu's visit. | Irie Sentner/POLITICO DC DEPLOYMENT: NYPD officers were a visible presence among their U.S. Capitol counterparts Wednesday in Washington as they responded to pro-Palestinian protesters denouncing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who delivered an address to Congress. Officers who had traveled from New York City to lend a hand on Capitol Hill were seen on bikes helping to patrol and respond to the demonstrations, some of which included the destruction of American flags and vandalism that read, “Hamas is coming.” More than 200 city cops were sworn in as U.S. Capitol special officers to assist this week in Washington, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry said in an X post a day earlier. “These officers are some of the most highly trained and from some of the most specialized units in the Department,” he wrote. An NYPD spokesperson told Playbook that its officers were deployed in response to “a request for mutual aid.” Gothamist reported that it was unclear how many officers had been requested and exactly how the costs would be covered. NYPD’s role was not limited to Netanyahu’s speech and the protests. Daughtry and NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell were both on the scene as their officers joined D.C. law enforcement officials to pursue and detain a person accused of stealing a car. — Emily Ngo and Irie Sentner More from the city: — Congestion pricing supporters plan to sue Hochul over her 11th-hour pause of the first-in-the-nation tolls, according to two lawsuit drafts. (New York Post) — The nonprofit Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, whose executive director left in February, hasn’t disclosed how much it has raised to support diversity in journalism. (THE CITY) — A police procedural drama staged a tent encampment for a film shoot at Queens College, but pro-Palestinian demonstrators felt it trivialized their movement. (New York Times) NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY A report from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli concludes that New York bridges are in rough shape. | Mike Groll/AP BRIDGES BAD: New York’s bridges remain in rough shape, concluded a report from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli that will be released this morning. Ten percent of the 8,891 bridges owned by local governments were ranked “poor” on a scale measuring their “capacity to carry vehicular loads.” That includes 63 in Ulster County and 60 in New York City. It’s a modest improvement from the 12 percent of local bridges that were in poor shape in 2017. That comes after the 2021 federal infrastructure package allocated $2 billion to repair bridges in New York. DiNapoli said that federal officials have estimated the cost to repair all of the state’s crossings to be $29 billion. “Despite increased funding from the federal and state governments, there is a great deal more work that needs to be done in New York,” he said in a statement. “Local governments need this funding to continue so sorely needed repairs and maintenance are completed.” — Bill Mahoney More from Albany: — Republican backers fill David Soares’ campaign coffers in Albany County district attorney race, finance filings show. (Times Union) — State Sen. James Skoufis is pushing for an end to the state’s near-total dependence on Corcraft, an arm of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision that makes office products with prison labor. (Capitol Pressroom) — The New York Working Families Party is considering endorsing legislation that would bar charities in the state from supporting Israel’s military or settlement activity on disputed land in the Middle East. (NY1)   SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, our newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRI     KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION More from Congress: — Four of New York’s House Democrats participated in the boycott of Netanyahu’s remarks to Congress on the war in Gaza. (City & State) — John Avlon is the latest cable news commentator to run for office in New York. (City & State) NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — A man who drowned at Rockaway Beach becomes the sixth reported person to die along New York City’s shoreline this summer. (Gothamist) — The state Education Department is banning realistic active shooter drills in schools in an effort to make them less traumatic for students. (New York Times) — The state Department of Labor considers wage theft claims by migrants who an advocacy group alleges are collectively owed $114,000. (Gothamist) SOCIAL DATA Edited by Daniel Lippman WELCOME TO THE TEAM — Michael Gartland will start next week as a New York editor for POLITICO. Coming to us from the Daily News and bringing with him a deep understanding of New York politics, Gartland will play a critical role in shaping our reporting at City Hall and at the statehouse. He will be based in New York City. MAKING MOVES — Ben Branham has joined Weber Shandwick as head of corporate and public affairs for the firm’s New York office. He most recently was COO and managing director of the consulting firm Pythia Public and is an alum of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Christine Quinn of Win … Alan Chartock … Alex Nguyen of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office ... Kelly Laco … Fox News’ Katy Ricalde … WSJ’s Elise Dean … Jesselyn Cook … Bloomberg’s Mike Nizza … Kevin Elkins … Tatiana Tylosky … Austin Brooks Missed Wednesday’s New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.   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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