Politics

Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here’s an offering of the best of this week’s crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.

With help from Shawn NessNew from New YorkHappening now: Gov. Kathy Hochul visited the Vatican as she tours parts of Europe on the climate. Marijuana may soon be considered a crop, officially, in New York. There was a vote of no confidence against the president of Columbia University. The latest on former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s fights against the state’s ethics board. HOCHUL TALKS NY IN ROME: From the Vatican’s climate summit, it was as if Gov. Kathy Hochul brought all of New York State with her. She talked about the disappearing shorelines on Long Island, the flooded streams and rivers upstate and the terrifying medley of freak storms that took hold during her first years as governor — storms that drowned immigrants in basements in Queens and left Buffalo residents stranded to die around high piles of snow. “I’m only on the job two years,” Hochul said to a crowd of dignitaries and international leaders. “Think about the scale of those cataclysmic events of what it has done to our communities.” The Irish Catholic governor is in the midst of a multi-leg journey that plays to the core of who she is. After her visit with Pope Francis, she’s jetting off to the land of her grandparents, Ireland, for an economic summit. The significance of her multi-country voyage was not lost on the governor. She got up close to Pope Francis, shaking hands with the Holy Father and looking directly into his eyes. The holy handshake was just one piece of a conference marked by climate discussions and meetings with global leaders. She sat side-by-side with California and Massachusetts governors Gavin Newsom and Maura Healy. She met one-on-one with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and she spoke with Italian governors from different parts of Italy, where they talked about the common crisis of housing affordability. “Conversations were serious, and primarily focused on climate action and clean energy — though multiple conference attendees went up to the governor to tell her their kids (or other loved ones) live in Brooklyn and love it,” Hochul’s press secretary, Avi Small, wrote in an email. The governor and other leaders also heard the Pope give his thoughts on the warming planet: “Are we working for a culture of life or a culture of death?” his Holiness said. Hochul’s speech also included the announcement of an expected $300 million in available water and climate adaptation funding. “Look no further than the words of Pope Francis,” Hochul said during her address. “He laid out — who we need to be looking for, what God expects us to do during our time on this planet, and [how] all of us, working together, will make a better place for our children and future generations to come.” — Jason BeefermanREEFER REVIEW: Weed may soon be considered as an agricultural crop by the state. The Legislature on Wednesday passed a bill that clarified that the plant is an agricultural crop. It now awaits Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature. The move means that farmers who grow cannabis would have access to different tax assessments and zoning regulations. “Cannabis is a plant, grown like any other, and it always made sense to include it as an agricultural crop in New York State law with the protections on zoning and taxation that come with it,” Mack Hueber, the president of the Empire Cannabis Manufacturing Alliance,said in a statement. The legislation is sponsored by state Sen. Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Donna Lupardo. It passed with bipartisan support, with only three lawmakers voting against it: Long Island Democrat Sen. Monica Martinez, and Long Island Republicans Sens. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick and Mario Mattera. — Shawn Ness SOME RAISE THE AGE DOLLARS, PLEASE: Both chambers of the state Legislature wanted the budget to create a Youth Justice Innovation fund and allow more counties to access “Raise the Age” dollars. But that idea was ultimately scrapped in the state budget. Now lawmakers are making a last-minute push to pass a standalone bill to create the fund —- which would pay for local youth diversion programs — and allow cities to implement policy intended to reduce the number of people under age 18 that can be tried as an adult. “We see there are individuals in New York state who are attacking this law, and it’s not fair because the law has not fully been implemented,” Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, a Long Island Democrat, said. “I really hope there’s a change of hearts and minds so that we can pass it and start getting money and resources out the doors to help families and these young people.” A key focus of the legislation is to remove existing language that excludes New York City from accessing Raise the Age funding. The legislation currently sits in the Senate’s finance committee and is awaiting an Assembly bill number assignment. Solages and state Sen. Cordell Cleare are the sponsors. — Jason BeefermanCOLUMBIA FACULTY VS. PRESIDENT: Arts and Sciences faculty at Columbia University on Thursday passed a vote of no confidence in the schools’ president, Minouche Shafik. Out of the 709 professors who voted for the resolution, 65 percent expressed no confidence in Shafik, 29 percent voted against it and 6 percent abstained, according to the results. The Columbia chapter of the nonprofit American Association of University Professors introduced the resolution. Nearly 900 faculty out of Columbia’s more than 4,600 full-time employees were eligible to vote. “President Shafik’s violation of the fundamental requirements of academic freedom and shared governance, and her unprecedented assault on students’ rights, warrants unequivocal and emphatic condemnation,” the resolution states. The resolution is symbolic. But with the resolution, faculty members are sending a message to the institution’s board of trustees — which is still backing her — that trust in the embattled leader is waning. — Madina Touré MASTRO MEETINGS: Speaker Adrienne Adams said “sure” she would meet with Randy Mastro, the mayor’s favored nominee for corporation counsel. In fact, she’s tentatively scheduled to sit down with him Friday, according to people familiar with the planning. “We still have no nominee on paper to speak of,” Adams noted at a wide-ranging press conference today. “But sure, I wouldn’t mind meeting with Randy Mastro.” The mayor’s team has been setting up individual meetings between the would-be nominee and members, Playbook reported this morning, in an effort to win support for the famously aggressive litigator, who has faced widespread opposition in the council. — Jeff ColtinWHERE CUOMO’S ETHICS LAWSUIT STANDS: The Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government says it “has taken steps” to ensure it can continue to operate as a lawsuit brought by ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to work its way through the courts. Cuomo won an appellate decision last week that found the commission was unconstitutionally structured. That meant that, pending a potential stay from the Court of Appeals, COELIG is blocked from enforcing ethics law. It also brought back into play a lower court decision that questioned whether it could continue to exist at all to deal with subjects such as lobbying disclosure. The commission’s directors are asking the lower court to issue a judgment on that unsettled question, which they say will clear the way for a quick appeal and stay. So now, the ball is back in Albany County Judge Thomas Marcelle’s court — he’ll likely need to issue a broader decision on COELIG in the coming days, then the fight will head to the Court of Appeals from there. — Bill Mahoney CHILD POVERTY: New York’s rates of child poverty are among the worst in the nation, according to a new report from Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. And some cities have it worse than others. Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo have rates double that of their cohort cities. Between 40 and 46 percent of children in those cities are living in poverty. They also rank in the top 10 among largest cities in the country with the highest rates of child poverty. The study also reiterated a previous report from Robin Hood that found pandemic-era policies and aid greatly reduced the rates of child poverty. “Despite unstable economic conditions during the pandemic, child poverty dropped by half because the government expanded programs to help families and children. When these measures expired, the problem got worse,” DiNapoli said in a statement. The study outlined some provisions in the state budget that could help alleviate the growing problem; like the $50 million earmarked for an anti-poverty pilot program. But the state is still looking for more solutions. The state’s Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council is considering recommendations to cut child poverty in half by 2031. — Shawn Ness ELECTRICITY COSTS: Despite an estimated increase in electricity use for the summer, the state’s Public Service Commission believes that the electric grid is prepared. The utility cost is also expected to be 3 percent lower compared to this time last year. “Most of New York is expected to experience lower energy prices this year than last year, and that is good news for residential and business customers,” Commission Chair Rory Christian said in a statement. “We will continue making investments in energy efficiency and the clean-energy grid that will help us all combat climate change and further stabilize energy prices long term.” And to assist during a summer that is poised to be one of, if not the hottest on record, the commission announced that the state’s major utility companies will not shut off users’ electricity if they don’t pay their utility bills. — Shawn Ness HOCHUL’S TURN ON TREES: The state Senate passed a bill today that would require businesses selling goods to the Empire State to prove that they don’t illegally contribute to tropical deforestation, teeing the legislation up for a possible second veto from Hochul. A spokesperson for Hochul, who vetoed similar legislation last year, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The governor vetoed last year’s version of the bill over concerns it would be too burdensome on small businesses. She also expressed reservations over removing exemptions tied to the procurement of certain tropical hardwoods. State Sen. Liz Krueger, the bill’s sponsor, and others reintroduced the legislation this year with several changes. “We have addressed the governor’s concerns as they were expressed to us,” Krueger, a Democrat representing parts of New York City, said in a statement, calling Hochul’s prior veto “a step in the wrong direction.” She added: “I hope that the governor — who this very day is speaking at the Vatican on the issue of climate leadership — will see this bill for what it is: an achievable, affordable, and necessary piece of critical climate legislation.” This year’s bill included several revisions. State agencies are now allowed to be exempt from complying if they make a solicitation for covered products and don’t get any offers. The bill also now exempts the MTA and Staten Island Ferry from complying with the tropical hardwood ban for five years and allows that exemption to be extended. — Allison Prang TURN DOWN THE HEAT: The New York State United Teachers union brought in saunas to the state Capitol today to show lawmakers what it feels like for a student sitting in a hot classroom trying to learn. The demonstration is part of their push to pass legislation that would cap classroom temperatures at 88 degrees. The bill sponsored by state Sen. James Skoufis and Assemblymember Chris Eackus would require schools to create a plan to lower the heat in classrooms that reach 82 degrees and evacuate the space if it exceeds 88 degrees. Skoufis said the demonstration today was helpful to get constituents to understand the need for a cap on temperature, and several signed on to co-sponsor the legislation. Skoufis said some pushback is due to the added costs that cooling buildings could incur, but he said districts should be able to foot the bill with the large foundation aid increases in recent years. “This is not a nicety, this is not something where, ‘If we find the money, it would be great if we can do this’,” Skoufis told Playbook. “This is something they should have had all along; this is a safety issue, and this is certainly an education issue.” Skoufis and Eackus are both prioritizing the legislation and speaking with leadership to find a way to pass it before session ends June 6. Skoufis noted that leadership in the Senate has been receptive to his calls to streamline the process and move the bill to the floor. — Katelyn Cordero— The state’s offices of Temporary and Disability Assistance and Children and Families Services have new commissioners. (State of Politics) — Long Island communities are taking unique approaches to prepare for rising sea levels. (Newsday) — Environmental advocates are pushing for restrictions of “forever chemicals” as the Legislative session comes to a close in June. (Times Union)

With help from Shawn NessNew from New YorkHappening now: Michael Carey, an advocate for disabled patients and a regular presence at the state Capitol, said he was pushed by state Sen. Kevin Parker. Labor chairs of the state Legislature want to do more to protect retail workers. Efforts to move migrants upstate to five counties has been slow going. There was a new graduating class of the State Police today. CAPITOL FIGHT: State Sen. Kevin Parker allegedly shoved disability rights advocate Michael Carey before the start of the Senate Energy Committee meeting today, according to Carey and two other individuals who witnessed the altercation. Carey, who is known to be vocal with lawmakers, shared with POLITICO a copy of a police report he filed, which can be read here. In it, Carey alleges the lawmaker got in his face and screamed “I don’t care,” before putting his hands on him twice and shoving him in front of a room full of people, according to the report and a subsequent interview. At the same time the incident was unfolding, shouting can be heard on the recording of the elections committee happening next door on the Capitol’s first floor. Parker did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Playbook. He is known for his explosive outbursts and physical altercations, which include allegedly shoving a legislative staffer, breaking a New York Post photographer’s camera and cursing out other lawmakers. Carey said he had been completely unaware of that history, which includes being convicted of a misdemeanor for the altercation with the Post photographer. “This is multiple situations,” Carey said. “He’s a danger to other people. He was a danger to me.” The disability advocate said the incident started minutes before the committee meeting, when he asked Parker to cosponsor a 911 civil rights bill, which he is trying to make law in memory of his son who died in 2007 at a group home. When Parker, chair of the energy committee, said he was looking into the matter, Carey said he told Parker the issue was analogous to Martin Luther King Jr.’s fight against discrimination and reminded Parker of his son’s death. Parker then yelled “I don’t care” when Carey brought up his dead son and got inches away from Carey’s face before shoving him, according to Carey. Witnesses, who were granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, said Carey was also shouting at Parker during the incident. Carey then said he left the meeting and requested a State Police officer come to the scene. He asked the officer to inform Parker that if he apologized to Carey he would not press charges. Parker did not apologize and instead invoked his right to counsel, Carey said. “I was kind of shocked, he didn’t apologize,” he said. State Sen. Mario R. Mattera, a Long Island Republican who serves as the ranking member on the Energy Committee, also said he witnessed the altercation but declined to go into detail. “There was tensions, yes, there was tensions, and it was unfortunate in a lot of ways, but that’s something that Senator Parker and that gentleman need to get through, and hopefully they can,” Mattera said. He also said it was inappropriate for Carey to take up the issue of the bill at the committee meeting instead of trying to speak with Parker in his office. Carey said he wants a restraining order against the senator. “I understand when people don’t deal with anger issues, they’ll go on to hurt other people,” Carey said. — Jason BeefermanRETAIL CRIME IS NOT OVER: Gov. Kathy Hochul pushed hard to get a budget deal that included cracking down on retail theft, but the Legislature’s labor chairs said that state government needs to go further to protect workers. “There were some things done in the budget regarding retail workers that were punitive and all about law enforcement,” Assemblymember Harry Bronson, a Rochester Democrat, said. “We need more than that.” The budget upgraded assaults on retail workers from a misdemeanor to a felony. It also created dedicated retail theft teams for state and local law enforcement and added $5 million in tax breaks for store security cameras and other anti-theft expenses. But labor advocates say they need more proactive, instead of “punitive,” measures to protect retail workers. They’re pushing for the Retail Worker Safety Act, sponsored by Bronson and state Sen. Jessica Ramos, that would require retailers in the state to train employees on de-escalation and violence prevention tactics. The two lawmakers also rallied for three other labor bills this week: to reduce warehouse worker injuries; to set standards for extreme temperatures while working in agriculture, construction and other industries and a third to oversee nail salon workers’ rights. “We have a very important decision to make on whether we’re going to tilt the scales towards the workers or we’re going to continue to allow for the scale to be tilted towards the bosses,” Ramos said Tuesday at a rally at the Capitol. “And I say no to that. I say, ‘Yes’ to protections for the workers.” The Retail Council of New York State is working to counter Ramos and Bronson’s Retail Worker Safety Act. “The costly mandates proposed in the bill — including onerous recordkeeping requirements, panic buttons and additional security guards — will do little, if anything, to address recidivists entering stores with the intent to engage in illegal activity such as shoplifting and assault,” Melissa O’Connor, the group’s president, wrote in a memorandum of opposition. Justin Henry, a spokesperson for Hochul, did not comment on the labor chairs’ bills, but instead pointed to Hochul’s comments on the retail theft earlier this month: “No one wants to see the shops in their neighborhood boarded up because business owners simply say, ‘I can’t do this anymore. It’s just not working. It’s not worth it,’” Hochul said at a post-budget retail theft press conference. “That threatens the very vitality of these communities, which I will stop at nothing to protect.” — Jason BeefermanMIGRANT RELOCATION: After the state launched a program to relocate migrant families moving to New York City to upstate regions last August, it has only relocated 283 families, according to the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, which administers the program. Read the full story here. Only five counties have received families: Albany, Erie, Monroe, Westchester and Suffolk; all of which have below-average housing vacancy rates. Nearly 1,000 families have been put on a waiting list or were deemed ineligible after being referred to the program. “We’re pretty much maxed out. We’ve been maxed out. I only have 320,000 residents in this county, and we already have a housing crisis,” said Albany County Executive Dan McCoy. “We’re having issues putting people in housing.” And plans to offer bonuses and incentives to landlords to join in on the program have not been very successful. Despite those woes, the state is still committed to relocating families. “OTDA is committed to assisting migrant families that choose to relocate through the Migrant Relocation Assistance Program,” the agency said in a statement. — Shawn NessGRAD SZN: The State Police force is now up to 4,977 officers after Hochul congratulated 228 new troopers after they graduated from the academy today. “Today’s graduates have dedicated themselves to a life of public service and are making a commitment to serve and protect all New Yorkers,” Hochul said in a statement. Three different awards were also presented to a select few graduates. Nicholas Krafft was given the Academic Performance Award; Matthew Grant was given the Firearms Proficiency Award; and Dominick Battaglia was given the Investigator Joseph T. Aversa Physical Fitness Award. “Today’s ceremony is one of our finest traditions and introduces a new generation of highly trained men and women to the New York State Police. These new Troopers will serve New Yorkers with honor, integrity, and bravery, and I welcome them to our ranks,” state police superintendent Steven James said in a statement. — Shawn Ness POLL OBSERVER PUSH: Advocates are calling on lawmakers to pass a bill to let nonpartisan groups be certified to send neutral observers to poll sites on Election Day. “In this highly polarized context, having neutral eyes on the ground to be able to verify what’s actually happening in our polling places, which 99 percent of the time is organized and exactly as we want to it be, helps to increase transparency and to improve the public’s faith in elections,” Common Cause New York executive director Susan Lerner said. She noted that under current law, the only people who can be certified to be observers are picked by candidates and parties. “This seems to be a pretty straightforward and commonsense solution to a problem that occasionally arises, where a voter is improperly turned away for whatever reason,” said state Sen. James Skoufis, who sponsors the bill with Assemblymember Amy Paulin. — Bill Mahoney MIGRANT CRISIS: Assemblymember Ed Ra and other lawmakers in the GOP minority conference are calling for a legislative hearing with New York City officials and organizations that are under contract to provide migrant-related services. The Times Union reported on Monday about ongoing concerns with one of the key vendors, DocGo. “This year, the state budget allocated $2.4 billion to address the migrant crisis, a considerable expansion of an expenditure for New York’s taxpayers to shoulder. Without the guardrails needed for fiscal responsibility, these funds are at risk of the fraud and abuse we have become accustomed to with emergency government contracts that lack transparency and oversight guidance,” Ra, a Long Island Republican, said in a statement. Republicans are also calling for the passage of one of Ra’s bills that would mandate the reporting and auditing on how money for migrant programs are being spent. It is co-sponsored by fellow Republicans. — Shawn Ness— Two New York Democrats have reintroduced a federal bill that restricts the public’s access to body armor one day after the two-year anniversary of the Buffalo Tops shooting. (State of Politics) — State legislators are working on passing a bill to incentivize emergency medical service providers to keep working. (Times Union) — The Seneca Nation of Indians is still in tense negotiations with the state on its compact. (POLITICO Pro)

With help from Shawn NessNew from New YorkHappening now: State Sen. Zellnor Myrie is running for mayor. He also might have his own Senate opponent. Mayor Eric Adams will be featured on The Daily Show tonight. Details below. The Brooklyn Maritime Terminal is getting an overhaul, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams announced. Attorney General Tish James has officially appealed a state court decision to toss the Equal Rights Amendment. NEVER TOO EARLY: State Sen. Zellnor Myrie’s challenge to Mayor Eric Adams might have just earned him his own challenger next cycle. Assemblymember Brian Cunningham has got his eye on 2026 and filed a campaign committee Monday for Myrie’s District 20 seat in Central Brooklyn, first reported by Playbook. So does Cunningham think Myrie will beat the mayor, and he’s preparing to run for the open seat? Or does Cunningham think Myrie will lose and is threatening to challenge him for daring to take on Adams? After all, Cunningham is one of Adams’ top allies in Albany and is so close with the mayor’s top political adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin that he calls her “Mom,” a person familiar with the relationship told Playbook. Myrie and Cunningham’s districts overlap, but they’ve never been close. When Cunningham won his seat in a 2022 special election, Adams endorsed him, while Myrie and his camp backed Jelanie DeShong, who was working for Hochul. Cunningham downplayed the drama. It’s “certainly not an endorsement” of Myrie winning, or of Adams, for that matter, he said in an interview with Playbook. “This is just a matter of exploring and seeing how I can best serve the 43rd Assembly District.” Would he take on Myrie in 2026? “I would never run simply for retribution,” Cunningham said, and he is not challenging anyone “at this time.” Both he and Myrie are running uncontested for their legislative seats this year. Myrie’s campaign declined to comment on the move. But insiders were split over how to read Cunningham’s move. “If he’s doing that, I assume it’s to support Adams,” a Brooklyn Democratic consultant told Playbook. But a progressive Democratic consultant thinks Cunningham’s filing means he thinks Myrie could be mayor. “It sends a signal that folks think this Senate seat is going to be open in 2026, and there is good reason for that,” they said. “For those who think this is an attempt to mess with Zellnor, it’s worth pointing out that filing a challenge after the petitioning deadline doesn’t strike much fear into anyone’s heart.” Adams tried to brush off Myrie’s challenge, in his first public comments since he filed to fundraise on Wednesday. And despite one of his close political allies in Albany making moves against Myrie, Adams said he is not thinking about the election at all. “The election is a year and [several] months away,” Adams said during a Tuesday press conference. “I’m just focused on governing.” — Jeff ColtinHIGHWAY EXPANSIONS: Advocacy groups convened in Albany earlier today to call on Hochul and state lawmakers to give more attention to investments that would improve transit, cycling and walking accessibility projects. “New Yorkers all across the state deserve the freedom to get around, regardless of how old we are, how much money we have, and whether or not we’re living with a disability,” Riders Alliance senior organizer Danna Dennis said in a statement. Many of the speakers want to see a reallocation of funding from downstate highway investments, like the $1 billion planned expansion of Route 17 in the Hudson Valley, and reinvest to projects that would increase accessibility. — Shawn Ness FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Prominent labor unions in New York are throwing their support to a measure meant to shorten prison sentences in exchange for vocational training. The measure is among a handful of criminal justice law changes that have been sought in recent years in Albany. And it is a proposal the labor groups, including influential organizations like 1199 SEIU, the United Federation of Teachers and the New York State Nurses Association argue could help alleviate a labor shortage in New York. “This labor shortage has been exacerbated by the exclusion of people who are locked out of the workforce because of extremely long prison sentences and limited opportunities to earn release through educational and workforce development programs in prison,” the groups wrote in a letter to top state officials released today and obtained by Playbook. The measure, backed by state Sen. Jeremy Cooney and Assemblymember Anna Kelles, would allow people in prison to earn time off if they participate in vocational, educational and rehabilitative programs. Criminal justice reforms have come under scrutiny, however, amid criticism from Republicans — potentially making moderate Democrats less inclined to take up the proposals, especially in an election year. But labor support could help push some of these sentencing law changes over the finish line. “It is imperative that our elected leaders prioritize these reforms during this legislative session to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their past mistakes, have a chance to successfully reintegrate into society,” Tori Newman-Campbell, the legislative coordinator for 1199 SEIU said. — Nick Reisman UPK FUNDING: School districts across the state are gaining access to $34 million in universal pre-kindergarten funding that will go towards 64 school districts across the state, the state Education Department announced today. This comes after significant changes to pre-kindergarten funding were made in the 2025 enacted budget that streamlined the funding process for schools looking to create or expand their programs. The budget consolidated its funding into one funding source with $10,000 per-per-pupil for programs run by a certified teacher and $7,000 for per-pupil for programs run by a teacher without the early childhood certification. “When we provide equitable opportunities for children in their early years, they reap the benefits throughout their lives,” Commissioner Betty Rosa said in a statement. — Katelyn Cordero  JAMES FILES ERA APPEAL: Attorney General Tish James’ office filed an appeal today to a Livingston County court’s decision to block the state Equal Rights Amendment from appearing on November’s ballot. The appeal has been expected. The filing confirmed that James will bring the case to a mid-level court based in Rochester, rather than attempting a rarely-successful maneuver to take arguments directly to the Court of Appeals. “This appeal is a crucial step toward ensuring that the voters — not a single, anti-abortion litigant or backward politicians — get to decide the future of our rights and reproductive freedoms,” New Yorkers for Equal Rights campaign director Sasha Ahuja said in a statement. “We are confident the amendment will be on the ballot.” — Bill MahoneyBROOKLYN IN THE HOUSE: Hochul, Adams and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have come to a deal — in principle — that would transform the Brooklyn Maritime Terminal into a more modern ship port. The project would entail building a 122-acre waterfront project to generate more jobs for the region and stimulate the economy. The Democratic governor and mayor were together this morning to discuss the deal. “Today’s announcement marks the next great chapter for Brooklyn’s storied waterfront and is a win for the people of New York City,” Hochul said in a statement. “Our partners at the Port Authority will ensure that the marine terminal at Howland Hook remains a thriving shipping hub…” A task force will be created to assist in the engagement process. It will be chaired by Brooklyn lawmakers Rep. Dan Goldman, state Sen. Andrew Gounardes and City Council Member Alexa Aviles. The engagement process will take input from local elected officials, unions, waterfront companies, businesses and the local community to come up with a shared vision for what the waterfront should look like. — Shawn Ness DAILY SHOW PLAYS THE HITS: Is Adams merely the mayor, or the “Philosopher King of New York?” Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” has taken the mayor’s most hilarious moments — both purposefully funny and otherwise — and turned it to a seven minute “Daily Showography of Eric Adams.”  The video is airing tonight, but was shared first with Playbook. Adams is introduced as “an enlightened thinker” who “saw his city as a playground of transcendental possibilities.” Then the video runs through some of Adams’ greatest hits, familiar to New Yorkers. There’s his “plane crashing into our Trade Center” quote, and declaring himself “Gandhi-like,” plus hits from the archives like his state senate “Stop the Sag” campaign against young men showing their underwear. The Daily Show takes a progressive bent, hitting him for budget cuts to schools while spending more on cops. But it’s largely a meditation on the bizarre. “Not since Biggie, had New York seen a philosopher with such flow,” the narrator says. “And not since 50 Cent had New York seen a leader who spent so much time in da club.” — Jeff Coltin OPERATION PADLOCK TO PROTECT: After one week of “Operation Padlock to Protect” — an enforcement effort to close illegal weed shops — the city shuttered 75 locations and issued nearly $6 million in penalties, City Hall said today. The effort was undertaken during four days earlier this month. Locks were administered by the city’s Sheriff’s Joint Compliance Task Force and the NYPD. “Week one of ‘Operation Padlock to Protect,’ reaffirms what we’ve long said: With the backing of legal authority behind us, our administration will act swiftly to combat illegal cannabis and smoke shop operators,” Adams said in a statement. Adams had long been asking Albany for help to close down the illegal shops, and he got more power to do so in the state budget. The task force conducted 150 inspections of businesses that were allegedly selling illegal cannabis products or untaxed cigarettes. Out of those inspections, 77 businesses were issued cease and desist orders (in addition to the 75 stores being locked). “For too long, illegal operators have posed a threat to our children, our public safety, and our quality of life, and they have undermined those justice-involved, legal businesses that are trying to succeed. With this coordinated and sustained multi-agency enforcement, we will help usher in a thriving, safe, and just legal cannabis market that our city deserves,” Adams added. — Shawn NessENDORSEMENT WATCH: Democratic Assemblymember Ron Kim’s reelection bid won the nods of two prominent labor unions today as he faces a primary challenge from Andy Chen for the Queens seat. Kim was endorsed by District Council 37 and the New York State United Teachers. Chen’s bid, meanwhile, was endorsed by the Chinese American Trucker Association, he announced via X. — Nick Reisman CELEBRATING HISTORY: Hochul announced today the inception of the 250th Commemoration Commission to recognize the American Revolution and signing of the Declaration of Independence. “New York State played a pivotal role in the American Revolution, and we look forward to welcoming people from all over the world to join us in commemorating the 250th anniversary in 2026,” Hochul said in a statement. The commission will be co-chaired by Randy Simons, the commissioner pro tempore of the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, as well as Dr. Betty Rosa, the education commissioner. The commission’s goal in its first year is to support the state’s heritage organizations in developing exhibits, coordinate state learning standards and promote heritage tourism. The commemoration will take place in 2026. — Shawn Ness DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEGISLATION: The Senate is gearing up to pass legislation that would further protections for domestic violence victims in New York. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins announced a package of legislation set to pass the Senate on Tuesday. The package includes legislation that would eliminate voluntary intoxication of a victim from use as a permissible defense in sex crimes. Other bills include a requirement that extreme risk protection orders be added to a statewide registry; a bill that would clarify the definition of “welfare” to increase awards made to crime victims; and another bill that would help to inform victims of their rights upon conviction. “Those who have survived domestic and sexual violence should have access to all available resources and protection during their journey toward recovery,” Stewart-Cousins said in a statement. “Unfortunately, existing regulations and practices often create unnecessary obstacles, bureaucratic processes, and discourage individuals from seeking essential services. Through this legislative package, we aim to clarify procedures and genuinely prioritize the rights of victims.” — Katelyn Cordero  A SURPRISINGLY QUIET COLUMBIA GRADUATION: Columbia College students graduated in a relatively calm atmosphere this morning despite recent pro-Palestinian protests on campus. To be sure, there were brief moments in which students expressed solidarity with Palestinians at the ceremony, the institution’s largest for graduating seniors. But overall, the event went down without significant demonstrations. Columbia President Minouche Shafik decided to skip the ceremony. Kathy Fang, the college’s valedictorian, arrived onstage with a keffiyeh and held up her hand to show off a “Free Palestine” sticker. The salutatorian — Priya Chainani, president of Columbia College Student Council, which offered support to students — lauded student-run publications Columbia Daily Spectator, a newspaper, and WKCR, a radio station, as “the best, most reliable sources for on the ground reporting.” “In the past weeks, students continue to uphold the true values of Columbia even when many of the adults in the room or not in this room did not,” Chainani said to loud and continuous cheers. Longtime CNN anchor Poppy Harlow’s speech was largely well-received by students. “Now like some of you I am considering my options. I am unemployed, find me on LinkedIn,” Harlow said, to laughter and cheers, referring to her recent exit from CNN. The crowd was also supportive when she fought back tears as she honored her late father, a 1969 Columbia graduate. She praised student journalists on campus, adding that over 300 journalists are currently in jail, including The Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. “You have blown me away, you have worked day and night in such difficult circumstances to document history,” Harlow said. Columbia College Dean Josef Sorett also called for acknowledging everyone’s pain, noting the deaths of Palestinian and Israeli people due to the Israel-Hamas war as well as conflicts in Armenia and Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Yemen, Haiti, Sudan and the Congo. — Madina Touré and Irie Sentner— Central New York’s Regional Market Authority is in a poor financial situation, an audit from Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found. (State of Politics) — Adams wants to restructure the police academy to consolidate training programs for various agencies. (Daily News) — More chemical barrels were found underneath a park on Long Island. (Newsday)

With help from Shawn NessNew from New YorkHappening now: First the New York City mayor, and now Gov. Kathy Hochul is headed to Rome. A ‘Big’ Hall of Famer visited the state Capitol. The Adams administration was in Albany today to push for procurement changes. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis showed up outside the trial of former President Donald Trump. THE POPE AND HOCHUL: Gov. Kathy Hochul will be jetting away to Rome this week for a climate conference hosted by Pope Francis. She’ll be giving a 15-minute talk, titled “Climate Leadership in the Empire State: Building Resiliency for All,” at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Vatican City time. The pontiff will hold an audience with the governor and other world leaders shortly after Hochul’s speech. The governor’s trip to the Vatican comes just days after Mayor Eric Adams also visited the Holy See. (Adams and his team flew back from Rome today, after arriving on Friday). The nearly back-to-back visits to the Vatican seem to be coincidental. “Our goal for this trip is simple: strengthen international connections that will create economic opportunities for New Yorkers and a cleaner future for the next generation,” Hochul said in a statement. Hochul, unlike Adams, is Catholic, and she frequently talks about her faith during public addresses. The three-day summit will also be attended by California Gov. Gavin Newsom; Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey; the mayors of Boston, London, Rome, São Paulo, Paris, Athens and Venice; and other politicians and academics. A main goal of the summit will be to create a “Planetary Climate Resilience protocol,” fashioned in the likes of the Montreal Protocol, and all the global leaders will sign their names to it. The document will then be submitted to the United Nations. “This is a great opportunity for New York to discuss their climate bill and all the actions going on right now to reduce our climate footprint,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director at Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “This is a critically important meeting that can hopefully inspire other leaders to take action.” It won’t be the first time the governor and the pope are side by side. In 2015, then-Lt. Gov. Hochul visited the White House on behalf of her boss, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, for the pontiff’s first visit to the U.S. “For me personally, as a Catholic, it was amazing to be in the presence of such a humble but inspirational individual,” Hochul said at the time. Hochul spokesperson Avi Small said the trip is official business of the governor and will be bankrolled by the state. “Climate change is a critically important issue to the Holy Father, and we are pleased that Governor Hochul will have a chance to possibly meet him and discuss this pressing matter period,” said Dennis Poust, the executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference. “Our hope is it would be a moment of grace for her as a Catholic to meet Pope Francis.” — Jason BeefermanBIG PAPI TO ALBANY: Famed Yankees beater David “Big Papi” Ortiz stopped by the state Capitol today to be honored for his charitable work. “My career as an athlete and off the field with the community, this is what people really love about me as a person,” Ortiz said. “It’s not just me as an athlete who was out there doing my thing.” Sen. Luis Sepulveda – ironically a Bronx resident – invited the former Red Sox player to Albany and lauded his efforts with groups like the Maestro Cares Gala. Ortiz said he’s always been a fan of the Empire State: “New York is a state that every Dominican has someone related to them here,” he said. “The only fans worldwide who stop me and say ‘I love and respect you’ are the Yankees fans. No Dodgers fans, no other team’s fans, but the Yankees fans are the only ones who spread that to me.” While he said he’s “very familiar with the Bronx,” he hadn’t been to Albany before. “I drive by a lot,” he said. The Capitol is “beautiful,” he said. — Bill MahoneyADAMS ASK: Adams has another ask for Albany. Officials with the mayor’s administration were at the Capitol today to push for changes to procurement law to speed up construction of infrastructure and other projects. “These tools, my colleagues in the rest of the country already have them,” said Tom Foley, commissioner at the New York City Department of Design and Construction, which is responsible for public building projects. “We need these tools… to build better, faster and cheaper.” The delegation also included Meera Joshi, deputy mayor for operations, and Michael Garner, chief business diversity officer. Lawmakers supporting the mayor’s agenda indicated they’re willing to give Adams more latitude than previous officials. State Sen. Jim Sanders also said it might seem late in session for a push, but that Adams was successful last year in a late effort for changes related to minority and women-owned businesses. The session ends the first week of June. “There’s no waiting for another year, there’s getting it done now,” Sanders said. But some of the measures Adams’ officials were pushing haven’t even been introduced, including making the Department of Design and Construction into an authority and expanding design-build contracting ability. Two have been introduced: changes to the public hearing requirements (A8864/S7833) which has passed the Senate and changes to the New York State Insurance Fund (A7317/S7975). — Marie J. FrenchTRUMP ON TRIALTHERE FOR TRUMP: Rep. Nicole Malliotakis showed her support for former President Donald Trump today at his Manhattan criminal hush money trial, helping to slam key prosecution witness Michael Cohen because a gag order prohibits the former president from doing so. The Staten Island Republican accompanied Trump in court and then stood alongside Sens. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall to challenge the credibility of Trump’s one-time fixer. “He’s a convicted, disbarred perjurer,” Malliotakis told reporters of Cohen outside the courthouse during a break in his testimony. Prosecutors have said Cohen’s testimony can be corroborated with other evidence. Malliotakis also assailed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the Democrat who has become a frequent foil for Republicans. She said Bragg should be focused on “actual crime.” NYPD statistics show shootings and homicides have been trending downward in Manhattan since Bragg took office. — Emily Ngo‘SEEING US:’ After a long public engagement campaign, the City of Buffalo and victims’ families of the racially-motived mass-shooting in Buffalo in 2022 have come to a decision on how to honor the lives lost. “Seeing Us” will consist of 10 unique pillars inscribed with the names of the victims. “As we approach the solemn two-year anniversary of when our neighbors were senselessly slaughtered solely because of the color of their skin, we rededicate ourselves in supporting the East Buffalo community, remembering those we lost, and supporting those who were injured,” Hochul said in a statement. Ten Black people were murdered in a Tops grocery store after a white 18-year-old drove over 200 miles from his hometown in Broome County to the predominantly-Black neighborhood. Twenty designs were submitted to the 5/14 Memorial Commission, which consisted of 11 members. Five were appointed by Hochul, five from local leadership and one agreed on by both. — Shawn Ness FAITH COMMUNITY SUPPORTS COLUMBIA STUDENTS: The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York is creating a safe space for Columbia University students in the wake of recent pro-Palestinian protests on campus. The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights, the seat of the bishop, is providing room for a daily lunch for students currently banned from the university’s dining halls, Bishop Matthew Heyd wrote in a newsletter to parishioners this morning. The church is also hosting an alternative commencement for students next week. Ryan Kuratko and Megan Sanders, college chaplains at Columbia and New York University, are also supporting their respective campuses. “The Cathedral is providing safe and open space for everyone at a time when Columbia University is not safe,” Heyd said, adding that all events at the cathedral “are open to everyone.” This comes as Columbia kicks off smaller graduation ceremonies in lieu of its university-wide commencement, which the institution canceled last week. There have been no arrests at the cathedral so far, Heyd added, noting he instructed the church to not cooperate with the NYPD around the demonstrations. The Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations — made up of committees that collaborate with representatives for the Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities — is scheduled to meet this week. The General Convention, the governing body of the Episcopal Church that includes bishops, will also weigh resolutions related to the Israel-Gaza war this summer. “It’s my hope the Commission can facilitate a wider diocesan conversation about the Israel-Gaza war,” Heyd said. He, along with two other bishops — who have denounced Israel’s deadly Oct. 7 attack on Hamas militants as well as the taking of hostages — called for a cease-fire in Gaza as well as access to humanitarian aid. The bishop was scheduled to meet with young adults in the diocese who have expressed concerns about the church response to the war later this morning. — Madina Touré CHECK, PLEASE: The restaurant industry has a bot problem. And state lawmakers may try to crack down on it by the end of the legislative session June 6. Assemblymember Alex Bores and state Sen. Nathalia Fernandez today pushed a measure that’s meant to address websites that scoop up a restaurant’s reservations and sell them to customers. That’s costing restaurants, especially those in high-demand in New York City, big when there’s a no-show. “It’s a lot like ticket scalping, but it’s even worse. Reservation being held by the bot system,” New York State Restaurant Association President and CEO Melissa Fleischut told reporters. “They staff up, they order all the food, they think they’re going to have a full restaurant.” The measure backed by Bores is meant to differentiate between the legitimate online reservation services like Open Table and the websites — many using automated bots — that have no actual relationship with the eatery. “It’s so important for us to be protecting not just consumers, but our small businesses and our restaurants,” Bores said. — Nick Reisman LAWMAKERS SAY ‘NEIGH’ TO HORSE SLAUGHTER: One month after the nation’s strictest anti-horse slaughtering law went into effect in New York, two equine protection groups honored five of the lawmakers that helped get it passed. The two groups selected chair of the Senate’s Racing and Wagering Committee Joseph Addabbo; Senate Agriculture Chair Michelle Hinchey; Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee Chair Gary Pretlow; Assembly Environmental Conservation Chair Deborah Glick; and Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair Donna Lupardo were the five legislators honored. The law banned the slaughter of all horses for human and animal consumption. “After nearly 20 years of carrying this important bill, I am thrilled that New York has finally put an end to the horse slaughter pipeline that has run through our state,” Glick, a Manhattan Democrat and bill sponsor, said in a statement. — Shawn Ness— An increasing number of school districts on Long Island are hiring armed guards. (Newsday) — Two advocacy groups are suing the state claiming that inmates with disabilities were placed in solitary confinement. (Times Union) — New York’s biggest teachers union is celebrating record school aid funding and pension changes. (POLITICO Pro) Correction: A previous version of New York Playbook PM misspelled the name of Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference.