Latest news with #Hochul
New York Post
8 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Stefanik fires back at ‘worst governor in America' after Hochul jabs on Medicaid cuts
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., a key Trump ally who is rumored to be planning a gubernatorial run in 2026, hit back hard against New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, calling her the 'worst governor in America' after the Democrat dinged her over Medicaid cuts. In a Friday post on social media, Hochul accused Stefanik of voting 'to put five hospitals in her district on the chopping block, endangering her own constituents' lives, health, and jobs—all to serve Donald Trump.' 'I won't stand for it. I'm fighting like hell to save New Yorkers' health care,' said Hochul. In response, Stefanik posted on X, 'Hi @KathyHochul! Welcome to the fight.' 'You didn't get exposed enough during our last round when you testified and were totally exposed for your dangerous and failed sanctuary state policies ?? Let's do Medicaid now,' she wrote. Stefanik slammed Hochul for giving Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants, 'putting New Yorkers most vulnerable LAST.' 3 Rep. Elise Stefanik is rumored to be planning a gubernatorial run in 2026 and called out Gov. Kathy Hochul as the 'worst governor in America.' FOX News 'NY's Medicaid program is rampant with tens of billions of waste, fraud, and abuse under Kathy's watch,' she wrote. 'Kathy Hochul, the Worst Governor in America oversees the worst run Medicaid program in the country harming NYers. Medicaid is an incredibly important program that I have worked to strengthen for New Yorkers.' 3 On X, Stefanik said, 'Hi @KathyHochul! Welcome to the fight.' FOX News The New York congresswoman then added, 'Oh and Kathy, your numbers in rural NY are plummeting' and 'I have been nationally recognized as the TOP advocate to deliver results for rural hospitals due to my work for hospitals in my district.' In another post, Stefanik said, 'Oh Kathy. I'm glad I set your schedule these days – from setting your Tweet schedule by forcing you to tweet on the Communist Mayor who just won in your Democrat Party in NYC. To you now scrambling to go to Saranac Lake because of news articles. When I have an announcement to make, believe me you'll know.' This comes after Stefanik pressured Hochul to say whether she supported the new Democratic nominee for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has made controversial statements criticizing Israel and promoting Palestine and who identifies as a Democratic Socialist. 3 Stefanik called out Hochul on social media for closing hospitals in her district, while she also criticized her policy of giving illegal immigrants Medicaid benefits. Christopher Sadowski Hochul has since said she plans to meet with Mamdani to discuss his ideas for the city but has not yet issued a full endorsement. Stefanik has said that as the leader of the New York Democratic Party, Hochul 'fully embraced the antisemitic, Communist nominee,' adding, 'she owns this catastrophe.' Earlier this month, Stefanik told a Republican crowd in Staten Island she was 'strongly considering' entering the race for governor. She unveiled a new state political action committee, Save New York, which appears aimed at further cementing her status as a heavyweight in Empire State GOP politics. Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
New York Post
12 hours ago
- Business
- New York Post
Hochul admits New York needs nuclear power — but getting it won't be easy
Good news: Gov. Kathy Hochul has tapped the New York State Power Authority to build the first major new US nuclear power plant in over 15 years. Bad news: New York's history of politicians pandering to anti-nuke hysteria will scare off a lot of potential private 'partners' on building the one-gigawatt plant. After all, it's just four years since then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo forced the early closure of Indian Point — and four decades since then-Gov. Mario Cuomo killed the $6 billion Shoreham nuke plant before it even opened. Hochul has belatedly recognized reality: New York has no hope of coming near meeting any of its clean-energy goals without nuclear power — and indeed is already hard-pressed for enough generating capacity to meet the natural growth in electric demands. For example, Micron's New York semiconductor plant will require massive amounts of reliable electricity, potentially 1.85 gigawatts at full capacity — enough to power half a million homes. The windmills and solar power plants pushed by the state Climate Action Plan can never meet that need. Yet nuke plants take a long time to build, and getting the state-of-the-art modular reactor Hochul envisions is a lot harder than calling for it. The Cuomos' anti-nuke actions — Long Islanders are still paying for Shoreham, while Indian Point had supplied 25% of the electricity needed for the city and Westchester — ensure that any company will demand a huge risk premium before investing a dime in building a nuke plant in the Empire State. Which is why Hochul left the door open to the Power Authority footing the bills itself — without mentioning this means taxpayer support and/or stiff new fees on utility bills. She also didn't mention that, since any new nuclear plant is 15 or so years off, the state's going to need new carbon-fueled power plants in the meantime, pushing the Climate Act's goals even further out of reach. Consider it all just a few more reasons we all have the Cuomo clan to thank for a huge chunk of New York's deep 'affordability' problems.
Fox News
17 hours ago
- Business
- Fox News
Can a new nuclear plant fix New York's power problem?
Big news is coming out of New York, and it could change the way the state powers its homes and businesses for decades to come. Gov. Kathy Hochul just announced plans for a major new nuclear power plant, and the buzz is already building. If you're curious about what this means for New York's energy future, you're not alone. Let's break down what's happening, why it matters, and what challenges lie ahead. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join. Governor Hochul didn't mince words at her press conference. She made it clear that if New York wants to keep fossil fuels in check and meet its climate goals, nuclear energy has to be part of the mix. The new plant is expected to generate at least one gigawatt of electricity, which is enough to power about a million homes. That's a big deal for a state that's been working hard to cut carbon emissions and transition to cleaner energy sources. Right now, the New York Power Authority is in the driver's seat, tasked with figuring out where the plant will go and what it will look like. The project is still in its early days, but the state plans to work with private companies to build and operate the facility. The goal is to make sure the energy it produces stays in New York, benefiting local communities and businesses. If you've been following the tech world, you know that companies like Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon are hungry for clean, reliable power. Data centers use a ton of electricity, and these companies are making big moves to secure nuclear energy for their operations. Microsoft is even helping to reopen a reactor at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, while Meta and Amazon have signed massive deals to buy nuclear power in Illinois and Pennsylvania. This trend isn't just about powering servers. It's also about showing that nuclear energy can be a key player in the clean energy transition. With more companies looking for zero-emission power, New York's new plant could attract even more investment and jobs to the state. Of course, building a nuclear plant is no walk in the park. The United States hasn't started construction on a new large-scale nuclear facility in over 15 years. The last few projects have been plagued by delays and massive cost overruns. There's a lot of hope that new designs, like small modular reactors, could make things faster and cheaper, but those technologies haven't been proven at scale just yet. Gov. Hochul pointed out that a lot of the hurdles are at the federal level. Getting the necessary permits and approvals can take years, and the process is anything but simple. There's also the challenge of finding a skilled workforce, securing a steady supply of nuclear fuel, and figuring out what to do with spent fuel once the plant is up and running. Despite the challenges, there's a real sense of excitement about what this new plant could mean for New York. It's a chance to modernize the state's energy grid, create thousands of good-paying jobs, and show the rest of the country what's possible when you invest in clean, reliable power. The fact that both Democrats and Republicans are getting behind nuclear energy is a sign that this could be the start of something big. It's clear that New York is ready to take a major step toward a cleaner, more reliable energy future. There's a lot of work to do, and some big hurdles to clear, but the momentum is real. If the state can pull this off, it could set a new standard for clean energy across the country. It's definitely a story worth watching, and who knows, it might just inspire other states to follow New York's lead. Are you ready for a future where your electricity could come from a new nuclear plant in your own backyard, or does the idea spark more concern than confidence? Let us know by writing to us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
New York Post
a day ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Hochul's nuclear U-turn must launch NY's embrace of energy reality
What was once out is now back in. Whether it's bell-bottoms, baggy jeans or even those dreaded jorts, it's always a surprise when items we once relegated to the parking-lot charity-clothing bin come back in style. Yet none of those fashion flip-flops comes close to the neck-twisting, 180-degree reversal New Yorkers witnessed this week, when Gov. Kathy Hochul resurrected another favorite of the 1960s and '70s: nuclear reactors. Advertisement 'But wait,' you must be asking. 'Didn't our last governor — with great fanfare — shut down the state's most critical nuclear energy plant just a few years ago?' Indeed, it's only four years since Andrew Cuomo shuttered Indian Point — New York City's cleanest, most efficient, and emission-free power source — as part of what he called his 'comprehensive clean-energy strategy.' Hochul's new decision is the correct one. We absolutely must invest in nuclear technology as part of President Donald Trump's 'all-of-the-above' energy approach, which is critical to fuel the coming data-center and artificial-intelligence boom. Advertisement New York simply can't afford to lose even more jobs and residents to red states with cheap energy. But Hochul's U-turn also confirms what critics have long contended: That for the last 15 years New York has had no real plan for power production — just a scattershot array of fads, press releases and photo ops. New York energy policy, for whatever it's worth, has been based on the following priorities, in this order: first, the easiest political decision; next, the appeasement of environmentalists; third, the support of labor unions; next, cost; and last — and very much least — the state's actual energy needs, current and projected. All five of those factors are political realities in a state like New York (although maybe we could blow off the 'environmental justice' zealots — we all want clean air and water, but there's no satisfying the Greta Thunbergs of the world.) Advertisement But we have to reverse their order of importance, with future power needs topping the list. Closing Indian Point in 2021 did just the opposite. By 2030, New York will need 47 gigawatts of new energy to meet the AI demand, Goldman Sachs projects — and on top of that, the state must increase electricity production by 12% just to meet its own baseline growth, another study found. Clearly, state policymakers placed specious enviro-politics ahead of a critical necessity. Advertisement Worse yet, closing Indian Point led to the burning of more gas and diesel fuel in existing power plants to meet demand. The foolishness of the green left and complicit policymakers actually increased emissions. Fossil fuel is now responsible for 89% of downstate energy, up from 77% the year before Indian Point closed. Who could have possibly foreseen that cutting 2,000 megawatts of clean power from our grid wouldn't end well? Many people, as it turned out. Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters But logic and reason were sidelined by classic Cuomo capriciousness in what was perhaps the most backward energy judgment call since Edison bet the farm on Direct Current. But enough dwelling on the past. After Tuesday's mayoral primary Cuomo is all but an afterthought, and it's refreshing to see Hochul taking a more rational approach to this problem. Unfortunately, it's taken her administration so long to come around to reality that Indian Point itself has been dismantled beyond any real chance of recommissioning. And the cost of Albany's dithering is going to be a real problem, new nuke plant or not. Advertisement The state's decade of decay may already have set us back past the point of no return when it comes to attracting new businesses and residents. As the Empire Center points out, while Texas has added 16% of new energy capacity since 2019, Florida 8%, and the country as a whole 4%, New York's energy generation has dropped. That translates into electric bills 48% higher than the national average, and a 15% premium on industrial customers. The only solution is to quickly produce more power. There is no plan B. Advertisement Hochul must use the weight of her office to fast-track not just her proposed nuclear plan, but to clear the way for the construction of stalled pipelines and transmission cables, to build new natural-gas power plants, and to push ahead with in-progress offshore wind projects. There is no scenario in which, one decade from now, New York won't need all the power it can harness. That's the heart of Trump's 'all-of-the-above' doctrine, and now it must be Hochul's too. Joe Borelli is a managing director at Chartwell Strategy Group and the former minority leader of the New York City Council.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Kathy Hochul Sidesteps Endorsing Zohran Mamdani for NYC Mayor
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul directly avoided saying whether she will back Democratic mayoral primary winner and assemblyman Zohran Mamdani in the upcoming election for New York City mayor. Newsweek reached out to Hochul's office via email Thursday for comment. Why It Matters On Tuesday night, Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, clinched the first-round vote in the New York City mayoral primary race against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani landed the backing of Democratic U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and independent U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and was largely unknown when he announced his intent to run, per the Associated Press (AP). The assemblyman's win could trigger panic buttons for Senators like Chuck Schumer and other Democratic establishment leaders alike, as some pollsters argue that New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who endorsed Mamdani, could challenge Schumer's Senate seat. What To Know When asked during a news conference Thursday if she will support Mamdani's candidacy and if she will back him, Hochul replied, "You know, the election just completed, I had a chance to call and congratulate him on the Tuesday's primary and look forward to having conversation. "Obviously, there's areas of difference in our positions," Hochul added, "but I also think we need to have those conversations, but in the meantime, I truly am not focused on the politics. We're six months away from inauguration day, and that'll determine who I'm working with for the next four years. And that's important, and what I'm doing, I'm focusing on affordability, and making New York City safe, and making the state safe. So that's my primary objective right now." Hochul was then pressed in a follow-up question on whether she is "skeptical" of Mamdani and the will of New York City Democratic primary voters. "No, I don't see how you could possibly conclude that from what I just said," Hochul fired back. "I said that I'm going to be having conversations, I want to find out you know positions on specific issues, but in the meantime, I'm working closely with Mayor Eric Adams, who is the mayor. Who, we have a lot of work to do to get through you know a crisis right now. We just had a lot of people in our city, you know, under siege with excessive temperatures; we have to keep making sure our subways are safe, building more housing under 'City of Yes,' which we were able to get over the finish line. The governor added, "So as much as there's a lot of people perhaps even in this room, who are very focused on the politics, I don't have the luxury to do that. I focus on governing and delivering for New Yorkers and working with people that are in government today." New York Governor Kathy Hochul can be seen speaking during a hearing with the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at the U.S. Capitol on June 12, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by) New York Governor Kathy Hochul can be seen speaking during a hearing with the House Oversight and Accountability Committee at the U.S. Capitol on June 12, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by) What People Are Saying Hochul on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday: "Today, voters made their voices heard, demanding a more affordable, more livable New York City. I hear them loud and clear. @ZohranKMamdani built a formidable grassroots coalition, and I look forward to speaking with him in the days ahead about his ideas on how to ensure a safe, affordable, and livable New York City." Trump on Truth Social on Wednesday: "It's finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line. Zohran Mamdani, a 100% Communist Lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming Mayor." Trump continued: "We've had Radical Lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous. He looks TERRIBLE, his voice is grating, he's not very smart, he's got AOC+3, Dummies ALL, backing him, and even our Great Palestinian Senator, Cryin' Chuck Schumer, is groveling over him. Yes, this is a big moment in the History of our Country!" Mamdani on X Wednesday: "In the words of Nelson Mandela: it always seems impossible until it's done. My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it. I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City." What Happens Next The New York City mayoral election will now head to ranked-choice voting, as no candidate received a majority of the vote on Tuesday.
