Latest news with #NewYorkState
Fox News
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Major Republican rumored for gubernatorial run, hits back against Dem: ‘Worst governor in America'
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." "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." 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. 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.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
How Bad Are Ticks This Year? Don't Ask.
Good morning. It's Monday. Today we'll look at why the tick population has exploded this year in New York State. And we'll look at how New York City is stepping up police protection after the bombings in Iran. The Fordham Tick Index, which gauges the risk of encountering ticks outdoors in the New York area, redlined last week. It put the risk at 10 on its 10-point scale and added this advice: 'If you're thinking of taking a hike, consider going to a movie instead.' The tick situation this summer really is that bad, said Thomas Daniels, the director of Louis Calder Center in Armonk, N.Y., a division of Fordham University. And it was predictable, said Joellen Lampman of the Cornell Integrated Pest Management program, because there was a bumper crop of acorns in 2023, more than acorn-eaters like deer, mice and squirrels could gobble up. The rich diet carried them into 2024, when 'they had more litters and larger litters,' she said, citing research by Richard Ostfeld of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., 'so we had more mice running around, more deer and all the things that love to eat the acorns.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Time Magazine
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
How Ranked-Choice Voting in the New York City Mayoral Primary Works
Early voting is already underway in New York City's contentious Democratic primary for mayor ahead of the June 24 election. The last three mayoral elections in New York have been won by a Democratic candidate, meaning whoever wins the primary is likely to become the city's next mayor. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has long held a lead in primary polls, but state Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani has narrowed the gap in recent weeks with a surge in momentum. Voters will be able to rank multiple candidates on their ballots rather than just picking their top choice after the city adopted ranked-choice voting in a 2019 referendum. Eric Adams, who currently holds the position, is not in the Democratic race after he was charged with bribery, illegal campaign finance and conspiracy offenses in September 2024. Adams pleaded not guilty, and in April the charges were dropped by the Department of Justice. He is running for Mayor again this year as an Independent candidate. Alongside Adams and the eventual Democratic candidate, Republican Curtis Sliwa is running again after being defeated by Adams in 2021. Jim Walden, a former federal prosecutor, is also running as an Independent. Here's everything you need to know about who's running in the New York City Democratic primary—and how the voting works. Who is on the ballet—and what do they stand for? Cuomo, the frontrunner in the tightening race,has focused on affordability, security and housing on the campaign trail. Cuomo has said that he will increase the size of the police force by 15%, an estimated 5,000 extra officers, reduce income tax for some low-income households, and provide more affordable housing with more robust tenants rights. The 67-year-old has come under scrutiny from other candidates for scandals he faced as governor. He resigned from the position in 2021 after more than a dozen women made allegations of sexual harassment against him. Cuomo has denied ever inappropriately touching or propositioning anyone, though he apologized for comments he made in the workplace that he said 'may have been insensitive or too personal.' An investigation by the state attorney general's office found that he 'sexually harassed a number of current and former New York State employees' and 'created a hostile work environment for women.' In May, the Justice Department opened an investigation into Cuomo regarding his testimony on the City's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as governor. Mamdani, the Assemblymember who has recently been rising in the polls,has focused his campaign on the cost of living, using the slogan 'A City We Can Afford.' Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has said that he will freeze rent increases across New York, provide fare-free buses, provide free childcare to those aged six weeks to 5 years old, and establish non-profit grocery stores run by the City. The youngest candidate in the primaries at 33, Mamdani has faced criticism for some remarks on the Israel-Hamas war, including when he appeared to defend the slogan 'globalize the intifada.' Mamdani has denied allegations of antisemitism, while also speaking about the Islamophobia he has experienced in his career. When questioned on whether he believes Israel has the right to exist, he replied: "I believe Israel has the right to exist … as a state with equal rights.' New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, whose arrest at an immigration courthouse last week thrust him into the national spotlight, is also running in the Democratic primary, focusing on safety and affordability, as well as ' Standing up to Donald Trump.' Lander has said he aims to end homelessness for those with serious mental health issues with a policy he says will put people in stable housing 70-90% of the time. Lander also says that he will build 500,000 new housing units and 'cut through red tape' for more affordable housing, plus improve transport efficiency. The city comptroller was arrested on Tuesday, June 17, at a New York courthouse as he was escorting a migrant man who agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were seeking to detain, becoming the latest of several elected officials across the country to confront federal authorities over President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. Lander and Mamdani have cross-endorsed each other, urging their supporters to rank the other second on their ballots. Adrienne Adams, Assemblymember for New York's 28th district and Speaker of the New York City Council, is also in the running. Adams, like other candidates, has put her focus on affordability and housing in New York. She has said she will continue to push for more housing construction and affordable housing, as well as investment in law enforcement and other programs to try and prevent crime before it happens. Similarly to Mamdani and Lander, Adams has hit out against Trump in her campaign. The Assemblymember says on her website that she has already worked to 'Trump-proof NYC' and will keep the President—who she says 'threatens everything that makes us New York'—in check if she is elected Mayor.. Other candidates in the race who have garnered lower support in recent polls are former Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee Michael Blake, New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie, New York State Senator Jessica Ramos, former New York Comptroller Scott Stringer, and investor Whitney Tilson. How does ranked-choice voting actually work? Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank multiple candidates in order of their preference, putting their preferred choices first, then second, then third and so forth. In New York City, the method is used for Special and Primary Elections for Mayor, as well as in Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President, and City Council elections. Adopted in 2019, it was first used in 2021. Voters in the Democratic mayoral primaries are able to rank their top five candidates, but are not required to fill all five slots. If a candidate gets over 50% first-choice votes, they win. But if not, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated as votes are counted in subsequent rounds. For voters who put the last-place candidate as their first choice, their second choice is then counted. This process of elimination continues until there is a majority winner. While this is the process for New York, the system varies from state to state where ranked-choice voting has been adopted. What are the advantages and disadvantages of ranked-choice voting? Nonpartizan organization FairVote says that this voting system eliminates a few issues, such as 'vote-splitting,' in which similar candidates can draw votes away from each other. FairVote argues that ranked choice means voters can support multiple candidates, and their vote is still represented if their first choice is eliminated. It also encourages cross endorsing, such as with Mamdani and Lander, giving voters an idea of like-minded candidates. RankedVote, a software company that advocates for the system, argues that voters' opinions are heard throughout the process and are more represented. 'Once there's more than two candidates in a typical 'most votes wins' election, it's very easy for the 'winner' to have a weak plurality of support. It's entirely possible that the winning candidate only commands 38% of the vote when a majority of the electorate would have preferred someone else,' the company argues. However, a voting system different from what the public are used to could cause confusion. Democratic political strategist Hank Sheinkopf said that the system could benefit voters more educated on voting procedures. Ranked-choice voting also allows for scenarios in which the candidate with the most first-choice votes still loses. This occurred in the 2018 House election for Maine's second district, in which Democratic candidate Jared Golden received 131,954 first-choice votes, compared to Republican Bruce Poliquin's 134,061. However, due to the ranked-choice process, Golden won by almost 3,000 votes. What other states use ranked choice voting? The system is used in 17 different states across the U.S. in a number of different state and local elections. In Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina, it is also used for military and overseas voters. In Maine, the system is used in primary and general elections for the presidency, Senate, and House elections, including the aforementioned 2018 election, as well as in statewide and state assembly primaries. In Alaska, it is also used statewide for general elections.
New York Times
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Model Walked Away, but Never Stopped Fighting
There was a time when those close to Sara Ziff found it baffling that, by age 20, she had out-earned her father, Ed, a neuroscience professor at New York University, simply, as her mother, Susan, once remarked, for being 'pretty and on time.' In 'Picture Me,' the 2009 documentary Ms. Ziff made with camcorder footage from her days as a fashion model, she is seen receiving a paycheck for more than $111,000, which elicits little more than a shrug. Ms. Ziff joined the modeling business in 1996 after a photographer scouted her on her way home from the Bronx High School of Science, when she was a freshman. Soon enough, instead of babysitting on the weekends, Ms. Ziff was attending casting calls and landing spots in Seventeen magazine. After graduation, instead of heading to an Ivy League university like most of her peers, she opted for the runway. 'I knew that models were often valued for their extreme youth and that if I wanted to have a shot at it, this was my chance,' Ms. Ziff said. 'And that it could be an opportunity to put away some money.' For Ms. Ziff, that was the first in a series of bold choices in which she built a career, helped expose some of the seedier sides of the business, and ultimately stepped away from the glamour and paychecks to stand up for the rights and protections of others. The culmination of much of that work comes on Thursday, when New York State will implement the Fashion Workers Act, a piece of legislation championed by the Model Alliance, a group founded by Ms. Ziff that aims to remake the modeling industry in the fashion epicenter of the United States. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Post
17-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
NY's Native American logo ban turned over to DOJ as Trump admin fights to save Massapequa Chiefs
New York State's ban on Native American logos was referred to federal prosecutors Tuesday after the Trump administration enthusiastically jumped in to save the name of the Massapequa Chiefs on Long Island. US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon wrote a fire letter referring the 'absurd' issue to the Department of Justice in a lifeline to the Massapequa after New York State refused to voluntarily dissolve its policy on an offer from the department's Office for Civil Rights. 'Both the New York Department of Education and the Board of Regents violated federal antidiscrimination law and disrespected the people of Massapequa by implementing an absurd policy,' said McMahon, who visited the Long Island High School in May. 5 Sec. of Education Linda McMahon is taking the Massapequa Chiefs logo issues to the Department of Justice, calling New York's attempt to remove it 'absurd.' Heather Khalifa for the NY Post She torched the ban — enacted in 2023 — on Native American logos and imagery for public schools during a May visit to the Long Island school, saying it was discriminatory because it only applied to names and logos of one ethnicity. 'You've got the Huguenots, we've got the Highlanders, we've got the Scotsman. Why is that not considered in any way racist?' she asked in the gym surrounded by students. 5 Sec. of Education Linda McMahon toured Massapequa High School in May. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post McMahon brought the case to the DOJ as a Title VI civil rights violation, which was an 'unlawful attempt to ban mascots and logos that celebrate Native American history,' according to her office. Initially, the state Board of Regents and the state education department were twice offered a resolution agreement, which would have allowed them to voluntarily withdraw from the ban or risk a referral to the DOJ. Both rejected the offers, her office said. 'Both of these entities continue to disrespect the people of Massapequa by refusing to come into compliance with the Office for Civil Rights' proposed agreement to rectify their violations of civil rights law,' said McMahon. 'We will not allow New York state to silence the voices of Native Americans, and discriminatorily choose which history is acceptable to promote or erase.' 5 The town has aggressively fought to keep its Chiefs name. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Massapequa has been involved in lengthy legal action supported by the Native American Guardians Association to retain its Chiefs logo. The district would have to spend $1 million to phase out the team name, according to school board president Kerry Wachter. 'This is a school that really takes its education seriously, and they're incredibly, incredibly behind their school, behind their Chiefs,' McMahon told The Post while in Massapequa last month. 'I think this is wrong — what's happening at Massapequa, to take away this incredible mascot and emblem of Chiefs.' Other Native American-named districts on Long Island that had unsuccessfully sued New York are now allocating massive funds to replace their mascots and logos — most shockingly, the Connetquot which said rebranding from the Thunderbirds will cost $23 million. 5 Sec. of Education Linda McMahon criticized that the logo ban applies only to Native American culture. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Dave Frank, assistant commissioner of the state Department of Education, has responded to discriminatory claims to say the state could expand the ban to include other names and logos ruled to be offensive. 'That's their workaround … we've demonstrated that this regulation was not a good idea,' Wachter previously told The Post. 'Now you're wanting to put another unfunded mandate on top of all these districts who are just barely making it, just to not give Massapequa the win?' 5 Massapequa School Board President Kerry Wachter is seen wearing a shirt with President Trump's 'LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS' quote. Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post Rather than caving, townsfolk in Massapequa have rallied in support of the fight since President Trump intervened in April and ironically declared, 'LONG LIVE THE MASSAPEQUA CHIEFS!' 'We've garnered the support from the President of the United States, the Department of Education, the whole town, the Native American Guardians Association, and now we expect the same from the Department of Justice,' Chiefs lawyer and Massapequa native Oliver Roberts told The Post.. 'Never underestimate the power and resolve of Massapequa.'
