DAYS THE BUDGET IS LATE: 13
OPERATIVES GONNA OPERATE: Republican Rep. Mike Lawler is not dealing with a primary challenge for his seat, but he is actively engaging in the Democratic primary contest for his position.
Recently, Lawler has been involved in the Democratic primary by sending anonymous text messages that some claim appear to be from Democratic sources. Additionally, his campaign manager has been challenging the signatures of a progressive Democratic candidate.
While serving as the Rockland County Republican Chair, Lawler also held a rally on Sunday to kickstart his own campaign.
Jennifer Colamonico, Putnam County Democratic Chair, criticized Lawler’s tactics, describing them as manipulative. “This is him. This is his deviousness,” she remarked. “Just get in and stir shit up.”
Last week, numerous Democratic voters in NY-17 received a text message accusing one Democrat of attacking another by contesting their ballot signatures.
The message stated, “Kathleen Kahng, a Conley campaign surrogate and former Putnam County legislative candidate, filed objections to the petitions of two Democrats competing in the June primary,” referring to Army veteran Cait Conley, a Democrat running for Lawler’s seat. “Not a concerned voter. A Conley insider. This isn’t democracy. It’s field-clearing.”
The message, sent during the Democratic debate in the district, included a photo of Conley and Kahng with the caption “DC INSIDER KICKING LOCAL CANDIDATES OFF BALLOT.”
The text did not disclose its sender, but when recipients responded with “help,” an automated reply identified Mike Lawler as the contact, providing an email address for further assistance.
Lawler’s campaign did not comment on the message. This move is part of Lawler’s strategy to influence the Democratic primary, as he faces tougher reelection odds with the Cook Political Report changing the district’s rating from “Leans Republican” to “toss-up.”
Lawler, known for his strategic political maneuvers, has a history of successful campaigning. Two years ago, he was one of the few House Republicans to win reelection in a district that narrowly supported Kamala Harris for president.
In that election, the Working Families Party accused him of orchestrating a “ghost candidate” to run on their ballot line to divert votes from former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones. A similar tactic reportedly occurred in local town council races on Lawler’s home turf last year.
This year, no mysterious candidates are running for Congress in NY-17 from the Working Families Party, according to filings. However, election board filings show Lawler’s campaign manager, Ciro Riccardi, has filed paperwork to challenge Democratic Rep. Effie Phillips-Staley’s ballot signatures.
John Tomlin, Phillips-Staley’s spokesperson, criticized Lawler’s actions, calling them a waste of time. “Clearly Effie’s momentum is making him nervous and he’s terrified to face her in November,” he said.
Riccardi countered, claiming Phillips-Staley’s signatures were “rife with fraud and errors” without specifying them, and announced plans to file a detailed objection soon.
He added that Lawler “will be happy to face whoever survives this clown show in November.”
Riccardi also accused Democrats of trying to rig their own primary while criticizing Lawler’s campaign tactics.
Lawler’s text message about Democrats challenging other candidates’ petitions has evidently provoked a strong reaction.
When asked for comment, Putnam County Democratic Vice Chair Kathleen Kahng, who objected to Mike Sacks and John Cappello’s petitions, referred inquiries back to Colamonico.
Colamonico indicated that her party would not pursue its initial objections to the candidates’ petitions, dismissing the actions as routine committee business.
Conley’s campaign did not clarify if Kahng was acting on their behalf in challenging opponents’ petitions. Suzanne Berger, the Westchester Democratic chair, stated that Democratic county chairs discussed “doing our due diligence” before Colamonico’s challenge.
Berger commented on the crowded race, suggesting it dilutes focus on candidates most likely to win the primary.
Sacks, whose petitions were challenged, criticized the process as anti-democratic, reflecting dissatisfaction with party leadership among Democratic voters. — Jason Beeferman
From the Capitol
SHED A TIER: The push by labor groups to reform the Tier 6 pension category is gaining momentum in the state Capitol, with little resistance from officials despite unions’ demands to lower the retirement age and decrease employee contributions.
This development is a concern for Republican Assemblymember Michael Fitzpatrick from Long Island, a rare opponent of the pension changes.
“You now, in a sense, have a professional Legislature,” Fitzpatrick stated in an interview. “That’s right where the unions want us. You’re asking the legislators to vote against their own financial best interest. So who is going to say no to the alphabet soup of unions when, if I lose, I’m out of the pension system.”
Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Nick Reisman.
TRAVELING SEPARATELY: New York lawmakers approved a third temporary spending bill on Monday as negotiations stall over Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposal to reform state car insurance laws.
The state budget is delayed by over two weeks as disputes continue between the governor and the Democratic-led Legislature on various issues, including her attempts to amend a 2019 climate law and her resistance to tax increases.
The car insurance reform has become a major point of contention, with lawmakers voicing frustration over the governor’s unwillingness to negotiate.
“It’s a one-way street on the auto insurance issue,” said Senate Deputy Leader Mike Gianaris.
Read more from POLITICO Pro’s Bill Mahoney and Nick Reisman.
FROM CITY HALL
MAMDANI AND ZUCMAN’S TAX DAY: The deadline to file income taxes is Wednesday, and to mark the occasion, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, French economist Gabriel Zucman, and Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz will host a conference on “confronting global inequality” at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York.
Mamdani and Zucman both advocate for a 2 percent tax on the ultra-rich, but differ in approach. Mamdani proposes a 2 percent tax increase on New Yorkers earning over $1 million annually, while Zucman suggests taxing wealthy households at least 2 percent of their total assets each year.
In 2024, Zucman proposed a global version of his tax during Brazil’s G20 presidency, targeting the world’s billionaires. Although a national version of the “Zucman tax” was a hot topic in French politics last year, it has not been implemented. Zucman remains optimistic that his vision will eventually be realized. Mamdani, Zucman, and Stiglitz plan to outline their proposals in a joint op-ed. — Giorgio Leali and Anthony Lattier
PRIDE FLAG FLIES: The Trump administration has agreed to reinstate a pride flag at Stonewall National Monument in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village following a lawsuit from civil rights groups over its removal in February.
“We fought the Trump administration — and we won,” said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. “The Trump administration has blinked and backed down from its contemptuous attempt to erase American history.”
The flag was quietly removed earlier this year after a memo was issued allowing only the U.S. Flag, Department of the Interior flags, and the POW/MIA flag to be flown by the National Park Service. Groups such as The Gilbert Baker Foundation, Village Preservation, and EQNY Fund Inc. filed a lawsuit claiming the removal was “arbitrary and capricious.”
The agreement reached today resolves that lawsuit. — Jason Beeferman
IN OTHER NEWS
— MISS DIRECTION: Council Member Farrah Louis allocated $450,000 to BHRAGS Home Care, a Brooklyn nonprofit currently under federal investigation for corruption. (Gothamist)
— PARK, MEET PLAZA: Mamdani is suggesting the closure of a dangerous road at Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza to restore the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial Arch as a direct entrance to Prospect Park. (The New York Times)
— TOUGH CROWD: Republican Rep. Mike Lawler faced a challenging audience at a recent town hall in Putnam County, where attendees questioned his support for the Trump administration and the ongoing conflict in Iran. (Lohud)
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here
