Grassroots Opposition Defeats Amazon

Local News:

• In a company blog post, Amazon officials announced they are cancelling plans to set up “HQ2” in Long Island City, citing opposition from local electeds and profusely complimenting Cuomo and De Blasio. Amazon’s retreat is a testament to the power of grassroots anti-capitalist organizing and the unpopularity of Cuomo’s economic development strategy of offering cash incentives in exchange for “job creation.” Real estate developers are mad about it.
• State Senator Julia Salazar (District 18, Bushwick) penned a City & State op-ed calling for comprehensive campaign finance reform that includes statewide public financing. City & State also published a short profile of Salazar in which she describes her experience in the state legislature and her priorities going forward.
• Council Members Carlina Rivera (District 2, Lower East Side) and Keith Powers (District 4, East Midtown) have proposed a bill that would limit brokers fees and security deposits to one month of rent.
• As punishment for Council Member Rubén Díaz, Sr.’s (District 18, Castle Hill) homophobic remarks last week, Council Speaker Corey Johnson eliminated the Committee on For-Hire Vehicles, which he previously established in a deal with the Bronx Democratic machine so that Díaz could have a committee chairmanship when he was elected to the Council in 2017. The rapid formation and elimination of the committee, and the extent to which Díaz was tolerated and promoted by prominent NYC Democrats after years of consistent homophobia and sexism, raises questions about the sincerity of these actions, as well as festering social conservatism from other prominent leaders in the Bronx Democratic machine.
• New York State Democratic Party officials are allegedly plotting to eliminate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s congressional district in the redistricting that will occur after the 2020 census.
• Queens DA candidate Tiffany Cabán outlined her agenda with Queens Chronicle.

Elections:

• Mayor de Blasio is apparently serious about running for president.
• The NY Post covered DSA’s endorsement of Tiffany Cabán for Queens DA.
• The Queens Democratic Party, still chaired by Joe Crowley, has endorsed Borough President Melinda Katz in June’s Democratic primary for Queens DA. Katz beat out Council Member Rory Lancman (District 24, Fresh Meadows) and Judge Gregory Lasak, who are seen as the other establishment choices for DA.
• Mina Malik, a former prosecutor who also served as the director of the Civilian Complaint Review Board, has officially entered the race for Queens DA.
• Amanda Farias, who came in second to Council Member Rubén Díaz, Sr. in the 2017 Democratic primary, has announced she will run for the seat again in 2021.
• Queens Democratic Chair Joe Crowley is starting a lobbying firm in Washington with a former Republican congress member.