The Thorn

Andrew Cuomo

Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation as governor of New York after New York State Attorney General Letitia James released a damning report about his record of sexual harassment in office. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will be sworn into office as the new governor on August 24.
Cuomo spent the days between the release of the Attorney General’s report and his announcement trying to cut a deal with the State legislature to quash the impeachment investigation in return for an announcement that he would not run for a fourth term next year.
Shortly after Cuomo’s announcement, State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie suspended the impeachment investigation into Cuomo, claiming that he does not believe the legislature had the constitutional authority to impeach a governor who is no longer in power. But many in the state legislature were surprised by Heastie’s decision.
State Senators Jamaal Bailey (State Senate District 36, Baychester) and Brian Benjamin (State Senate District 30, Harlem), both Democrats, are both being considered by Hochul as potential successors for Lieutenant Governor.
With Cuomo’s long tenure as governor finally over, many of his projects and policies remain in flux.

The US Supreme Court blocked part of New York’s eviction moratorium, which was due to end August 31. Housing rights advocates are urging tenants to apply for rent relief via the state’s $2.7 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which protects tenants from eviction for a year after they apply for ERAP.
ERAP has so far paid out less than 5 percent of the funds allocated to it. If it does not spend 65 percent of the money by the end of September, then the money will be sent back to the federal government.
New York City added 629,000 people between 2010 and 2020, according to the US Census, and now has a population of 8.8 million.
Eric Adams agreed to the Gowanus rezoning, contingent on funding for the New York State Housing Authority (NYCHA).
Brandon Rodriguez became the fifth person to die at Rikers Island since March of this year, as public defenders raise concerns about conditions at the jails. Rodriguez’s cause of death has not been disclosed.
After public outcry, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran vetoed a bill allowing police officers and other first responders to sue citizens.

With the Census data released, New York’s Independent Redistricting Commission is expected to release a proposal for new electoral districts in mid-September. The final decision on new districts will be approved by the State legislature.
With Cuomo’s impending resignation, elected officials around the State are preparing for next year’s elections, which would be the only the second since 1974 without Cuomo or his father, former Governor Mario Cuomo, running for statewide office. Kathy Hochul has already announced plans to run for a full term as governor. Ross Barkan speculates on opportunities for progressives at the Village Voice.
Bill Perkins has conceded to Kristin Richardson Jordan in the City Council race for Council District 9 (Harlem), one of two City races that triggered a recount and will be certified this week.