If someone asked you “who saved New York”? How would you respond? According to former state senator and head of CUNY Seymour Lachman, the answer is Hugh Carey. In a new book detailing Carey’s deft management of the New York City fiscal crisis of 1975, Lackman and his co-author argue that Carey was underappreciated while in office, but history looks at him as a great leader. Lachman joins us in this half hour. Then, history and politics are usually two different animals, but right now there is a bill awaiting the Governor’s signature that will make a few historians like Doris Kearns Goodwin, Joe Persico and Henry Louis Gates very happy with the political process. New York State Archivist Chris Ward sits down with Lachman, Lise Bang-Jensen of the Empire Center and me to discuss the so-called Governor’s Records bill.
The 23rd Congressional District in New York was ground zero last fall for the Tea Party’s evolution into a force in US politics. It’s where two republicans – Dede Scozzafavva Doug Hoffman split the vote during a special election to allow Democrat Bill Owens to claim victory for the Dems in that district first time since the 19th century. According to Congressional Quarterly, something similar could happen again THIS year! We are joined by one of the two men vying for the Republican nod to run against Owens – Matt Doheney will be my guest. And then it’s like a parade of well-known Albany observers — Bob Ward of the Rockefeller Institute and Mickey Carroll of Quinnipiac join me, and then the cigarette issue that has people smokin’ mad.
Let’s begin the week with a question: What do you get when you team up a former New York State legislator and a political scientist? A truthful & entertaining look at how Things Get Done in Albany, which perfectly describes the new book Tales from the Sausage Factory. Authors Dan Feldman & Gerry Benjamin, a former Assemblyman and Professor of Political Science respectively, will be here to discuss their new policy “tell all”. We will meet the woman running against Republican Incumbent State Senator James Alesi. Mary Wilmot is facing an uphill battle in which the usual stalwarts of the Democratic Party such as Labor are not being helpful. And finally we check in with pro-business group Unshackle Upstate – Today Brian Sampson will be revealing the groups legislative report card, and we get a preview.
Will there be any political ramifications for Governor Paterson now that part 2 of Judith Kaye’s investigation in the Yankees tickets scandal is finished? The former Chief judge of the Court of Appeals had been looking into whether or not the Governor had committed perjury when testifying before the Commission on Public Integrity over his intention to purchase those tickets. Ken Lovett and Michael Gormley will join us with analysis. Plus — Yesterday, just prior to the release of Kaye’s investigation, the Governor spoke with The Capitol Pressroom at the State Fair about precautions the state is taking in advance of the September 1st start day for tax collections on cigarettes. We will hear a portion of that interview in this ½ hour. And then the science surrounding gas-drilling.
Welcome to the capitol Pressroom over the next few months we’re going to hear quite a bit from Rick Lazio, Carl Paladino, Steve Levy and Howie Hawkins. Lazio is the Republoican designee to run against the Democrat’s Andrew Cuomo. Levy lost the nomination to Lazio — and Carl Paladino is the outspoken buffalo developer who will be collecting petitions to try to get on the ballot – in a few weeks we will know if he was successful. And then there’s the Green Party’s pick for Governor, Howie Hawkins, who has run more than a dozen times for a variety of offices, and has lost every time – but he’s been quite effective at shifting the political debate. Stay tuned for voices of the gubernoratoral candidates minus Andrew on the Capitol Pressroom.
Today we meet AG candidate Eric DiNallo the former superintendent of the State’s Insurance department. DiNallo doesn’t have the most cash, but he is pretty wealthy in endorsements. He will join us to discuss his take on the campaign and his opposition. When Eliot Spitzer came to town in 2007 he made a lot of promises about his commitment to environmental issues – many of which were taken up by David Paterson. Today we will get an update on some of those long-standing environmental goals from Peter Iwanawitz, the Governor’s Deputy Secretary for the Environment. And then we ask, why AARP is so gung ho about an initiative they’re calling “Complete Streets”.
On tap today, it was only a matter of time until the mosque controversy elicited a holocaust comparison – we will discuss the issue with Ken Lovett, plus he will have some Monday morning quarterbacking regarding last night’s GOP senate debate. Luke Martland is running against Neil Breslin for the State Senate – he joins us in a few minutes. And then… why some members of the business community are deciding to get more political.
Senator Eric Schneiderman is the recipient of the coveted NYTIMES endorsement for Attorney General. Today we speak with the long time legislator & member of the Senate’s liberal reform wing about how he will remake the office should he succeed Andrew Cuomo. Senator Valesky has two Republican opponents squaring off in the primary – one has the party’s backing. The other is Danny Liedka, mayor of East Syracuse. He joins us today to discuss his challenges overcoming money & establishment. And then we explore the current game of ping pong taking place in courtrooms in California around gay marriage… plus, we look at the historical debate over intermarriage, and how arguments against it – arguments made over 100 years ago — sometimes echo those of today regarding same sex marriage.
In the 2nd installment of our series on gas drilling in New York, we explore the issues that will face towns and villages when “gas culture” clashes with “upstate NY culture”. Those are the words of Elmira-based attorney Chris Denton, one of our guests today. He will be joined by the Supervisor of the Town of Preston, Pete Flanagan, and the Supervisor of the Town of Caroline, Don Barber. Plus, Jannette Barth, Ph.D, joins us. Currently the principal of J.M. Barth & Associates, Inc., Barth is the former Chief Economist for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority. With her help, we will weigh the real economic demands and benefits of gas drilling on local towns and tax payers.
This year’s libertarian candidate for governor is a long-time thorn in the side of Albany’s establishment. Warren Redlich is outspoken, combative and not afraid to take on some of the thorniest topics on the political stage. He will be in a few minutes with his take on the Mosque, the major party candidates, and he’ll share why he has it in for NYSERDA, the state’s renewable energy agency. Bob Biggerstaff of the NYS Association of Small City Schools Districts weighs on the state’s plan to allocate the federal education aid money. And speaking of money… Albany Law’s Bennett Liebman gives us some insight into when we’ll see the green of Genting’s VLT franchise down payment. It’s all coming up on The Capitol Pressroom.
