Politics Now

By Tom Precious

ALBANY – With a deal possibly coming together in Washington to expand background checks for gun purchases, Gov. Andrew Cuomo blasted the compromise federal package as watered down and far less comprehensive than what passed in New York three months ago.

Cuomo accused Congress of "fundamentally" failing to act on a broader gun control bill because of political fears of alienating "extremists" on the gun issue.

"We’re not talking about a significant package of gun control anymore. We lost that in the discussions along the way, and it’s a shame," Cuomo said of the looming federal gun deal under discussion in Washington. Long gone from the table in Congress are such provisions as further restrictions on assault-style weapons.

Continue reading "Cuomo knocks looming congressional gun deal" »

By Tom Precious

ALBANY – Lawmakers and other state officials would face new criminal penalties for not turning over information about people trying to bribe them and limitations would be placed on immunity from prosecution by people testifying before grand juries in public official corruption cases.

Those were among the latest plans offered Tuesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in reaction to two busts by federal prosecutors of state lawmakers in the latest line of corruption cases to hit Albany. “There have been too many incidents for too many years,’’ Cuomo said at an event Tuesday in Manhattan in which his plan was endorsed by the statewide district attorneys association.

The package, not yet released in the form of actual legislation, would include making it a misdemeanor for lawmakers and other public officials not to report suspected wrongdoing by their colleagues.

Continue reading "Lawmaker arrests one week, new anti-corruption ideas the next" »

By Robert J. McCarthy

Tom Precious of The Buffalo News Albany Bureau provided the latest in this morning's print and on-line editions about the mini-controversy brewing over Monday's New York Post story. The Post's Fred Dicker indicated that Cuomo forces were interested in replacing Assembly Speaker Shelly Silver with Majority Leader Joseph Morrelle of suburban Rochester.

The Precious story introduced the very real point that no upstate Democrat has ever held the powerful speaker's post in modern times, raising real questions about the Morrelle Theory even if he is a close confidant of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

But the story continues to have legs. Here is the link to a blog appearing today by Nick Reisman on the Capital Tonight blog.

And Glenn Blain of the Daily News offers this insight.

Cuomo insiders deny the story about Silver, but remains a topic of interest around the state.

By Tom Precious

ALBANY -- The recent legislation sponsored by an Assembly Democrat to limit use of drone aircraft above New York's skies has just gotten the support of a Senate Republican, improving the measure's odds of passage.

Adding his name to the effort, with a same-as bill introduced yesterday, is Sen. Carl Marcellino, a Long Island Republican.

Here is the original story we wrote on the topic a couple weeks ago.

By Tom Precious

ALBANY -– The Cuomo administration is shooting down a story today in the New York Post that reported Gov. Andrew Cuomo and top aides were working over the weekend on a plan to lead a coup against Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

The Post story, which interestingly said Cuomo's move to oust Silver comes at the same time he is dangling a pay raise for lawmakers, said Cuomo has grown tired of the corruption cases in the Assembly and Silver’s control over the house going back to the days of former Gov. Mario Cuomo. (The claim, also interestingly, comes less than two weeks after Cuomo publicly praised Silver for his role in the recent 2013 budget talks).

Continue reading "Cuomo administration: Gov not trying to take out Silver" »

By Tom Precious

ALBANY -- It was with much fanfare in December when the all-white Senate Independent Democratic Conference welcomed Sen. Malcolm Smith, its first and only African American member, into the breakaway club that formed a coalition with Republicans to control the Senate.

Seven hours after Smith was arrested this morning by FBI agents at his Queens home on corruption charges, the IDC announced it is taking away the committee and leadership posts. The exact dollar amount, in terms of the stipend Smith got for the assignments beyond his base pay of $79,500, was not immediately certain.

Continue reading "Senate IDC leader takes away Smith's titles, committee posts" »

By Tom Precious

ALBANY -- Another season arrives, another corruption case surfaces against a state official. This time Sen. Malcolm Smith, a Queens Democrat, was arrested at daybreak this morning by FBI agents as part of a probe that accuses Smith and others of using fraud and bribes to try to win him a spot on the GOP mayoral ballot.

It marks a setback for Smith, who once was the top Democrat in the Senate, but also for the five-member breakaway Democratic conference, of which Smith is a member, that forged a coalition deal with Senate Republicans to control the chamber.

Various New York City news outlets say Smith was busted by the FBI at about 6am at his Queens home, and that the FBI has scheduled a news conference for later this morning to release details of the case against the lawmaker.

Continue reading "Queens Senate Democrat busted in corruption case" »

By Tom Precious

ALBANY -- The tab for taxpayers to give a $350 tax break to some middle class taxpayers and to cover part of the higher payroll costs for businesses under the new minimum wage hike program is rising to levels higher than predicted by state officials last week.

The $350 tax break -- in the form of well-timed checks delivered to a million or so taxpayers just before the November 2014 election day that will feature Gov. Andrew Cuomo and lawmakers on the ballots -- is now projected to cost the state $410 million annually. That is up from the $350 million to $375 million officials estimated a week ago.

That tax break will go to households with at least one dependent child and adjusted gross incomes between $40,000 and $300,000. Critics have questioned the logic behind defining a family making $300,000 as middle class, and say the plan discriminates against couples without children and lower income families.

Continue reading "Tax breaks costing more than first projected" »

By Tom Precious

Albany -- It was hardly a secret that Gov. Andrew Cuomo last year did not break a sweat -- and that would be a kind way to characterize it -- to try to help his fellow Democrats take over (firm) control of the state Senate.

And Cuomo this year has praised the coalition of Republicans and five breakaway Democrats in charge of running the Senate.

So when state GOP boss Ed Cox came out blasting the new state budget deal, the state Democratic Party -- run by Cuomo -- today came back with a curious response.

"We agree that there are aspects of state policy that need changes and they will be made next year when the Democrats take over the state Senate,'' the party said in a statement this morning. The betting is more than a few Senate Democrats are chuckling over that line.

By Tom Precious

Albany -- A state budget is born. With a few days to spare before the deadline, the Assembly at about midnight gave final approval to the 2013 state budget.

For historians, it appears they got the last bill done with a minute to spare. So March 28 adoption date.

UPDATE: For real historians, official time from Assembly: 11:59pm.

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