Covering and explaining state and local politics.
Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein on May 18, 2017 The Office of Congressional Ethics is looking into Republican Chris Collins. He was involved in passing a law to speed up drug trials. That benefitted a biotech company that he invested in. Collins also told others including Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to buy stock. Collins then bragged in front of reporters about "how…
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Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein on May 18, 2017 Corrections Commissioner Joe Ponte is stepping down following a series of devastating stories about his leadership of the increasingly-dangerous Rikers Island jail. Then news came out that he took a government car on weeks of vacation and allowed a deputy to eavesdrop on investigations into the jail. While Ponte is on his way out, he already fired…
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Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein on May 11, 2017 Buffalo Fixer Steered Illegal Donation to Cuomo Legendary Buffalo political operative Steve Pigeon was already headed to trial for violating election laws. Now, he faces one more charge: helping a Canadian online gambling company make an illegal $25,000 contribution to Gov. Cuomo's 2014 re-election campaign. Doesn't look like Pigeon will be able to fly the coop. Queens…
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Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein on May 4, 2017 No Go, Bo! As expected, Bo Dietl won't be able to run as a Republican for Mayor since Republican county leaders chose to deny him a Wilson-Pakula certificate. While he says he'll still run, he's going to be only a minor, third-party candidate. That means we can all safely ignore Bo Dietl's campaign for Mayor.…
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Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein on April 3, 2017 Mayor Bill de Blasio is in a tricky spot as he runs for re-election. The mother of Ramarley Graham, the teen killed by police officers in front of his family in 2012, accused the Mayor of being disrespectful in a Daily News op-ed and critiqued him for not doing enough to reform the NYPD. Meanwhile,…
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Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein on April 3, 2017 The Albany Times Union is doing some great investigative work into state government. Teaming up with the Investigative Post, ProPublica, and the Daily News they dug into the "State of Subsidies": how New York spends billions on subsidies for businesses with very little return. This weekend, they revealed how state legislators spend millions of taxpayer dollars on…
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Andy Greiner on March 15, 2017 Ok, this is absurd ... Trump’s refugee and travel ban plans have thrust an immigration focal point to emerge in … Champlain, New York? Yep. People are illegally crossing the border into Canada near Champlain in the North Country to escape persecution here in the United States, according to this story by Rick Rojas in…
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