With assist from Shawn Ness
IS IT RIGGED?: Nassau County Government Bruce Blakeman is laying the groundwork to assert the bidding course of for the three wildly profitable on line casino licenses could possibly be skewed in opposition to him.
“We’re moving ahead with our plans for a casino, and if it’s a fair process — and I’m a little concerned about it — but if it’s a fair process. Nassau County gets that license because we are the best location,” the County Government stated final week whereas calling into “Sid & Friends in the Morning,” a right-leaning radio present.
After reiterating the choice is within the fingers of a state board, he added, “if it’s a fair process we win.”
The feedback are the primary that Playbook’s ever heard the Republican solid doubt on the integrity of an especially scrutinized and public bidding course of for New York’s downstate on line casino licenses.
However questions have already been raised that the bid for an enormous on line casino on Lengthy Island could possibly be particularly weak, given Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s management over the Gaming Fee. That’s as a result of the majority proprietor of the Las Vegas Sands Company is GOP megadonor Miriam Adelson, who — alongside together with her late husband — donated $90 million to a pro-Trump tremendous PAC in the course of the earlier presidential election.
She’s not the one Trump donor vying for a on line casino.
Earlier this week, Mets proprietor and billionaire Steve Cohen’s on line casino desires have been all however crushed by state Sen. Jessica Ramos after she got here out in opposition to the bid. Cohen’s military of lobbyists have been working to place an enormous on line casino and lodge within the parking zone subsequent to Citi Discipline, however the proposed web site is situated on state-controlled parkland that wants approval from the state Legislature to change use.
And a bid by the Bally’s Company for a on line casino on the Bronx golf course previously referred to as Trump Hyperlinks additionally wants the same parkland alienation invoice. Playbook can report that Assemblymember Gary Pretlow, a Mount Vernon Democrat who chairs the decrease chamber’s gaming committee, has launched a parkland alienation invoice for Bally’s.
“What we’re trying to do is have the assumption that every [bid] is good, until they’re proven they aren’t,” Pretlow advised Playbook. “So we want to have the community boards issued and we want to have land issues solved.”
Curiously, neither the Senate’s gaming chair, state Sen. Joseph Addabbo, nor any of his colleagues within the Senate have launched the required equal invoice. State Sen. Nathalia Fernandez, whose district contains the golf course, advised us she remains to be weighing the deserves of introducing any parkland alienation invoice this session.
Blakeman, for his half, has stated that the Sands challenge would deliver a $5 billion funding into Nassau County and claims it could seemingly be the best grossing on line casino within the nation. Plans for the on line casino, which might be situated on the web site of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, are at present stalled, although, after neighboring Hofstra College efficiently sued to void the lease between Las Vegas Sands and the county.
When Playbook reached out to Blakeman, the county government declined to enter specifics about his “concerns” concerning the equity of the bidding course of.
“Of course we’re concerned that it’s a level playing field and that politics aren’t part of the process,” Blakeman stated, obliquely referring to “gossip” he didn’t wish to expound upon.
“When you’re talking about as much money as is involved in issuing a license,” he added, “you want to make sure that there’s honesty and integrity in the process without political bias.” — Jason Beeferman
ASSEMBLYMEMBER FACES ETHICS ACTION: The Meeting’s Ethics Committee has taken motion in opposition to Scott Bendett.
The freshman Republican “made two statements related to religion and national origin to an international intern,” the committee concluded. “Given Member Bendett’s sincere remorse and honest, active, and forthcoming participation in the process, coupled with the current highly emotional climate related to international strife,” the committee has ordered him to bear sensitivity coaching.
It’s solely the second motion taken in opposition to a sitting member of the Meeting previously six years. The committee ordered Democrat Danny O’Donnell to be retrained within the Meeting’s harassment coverage following remarks he made final yr.
Bendett is a prime goal for Democrats this November. His district, which incorporates suburbs to the south and east of the town of Albany, favored Joe Biden in 2020. Democrats Chloe Pierce and Kent Sopris are operating in a main for his or her social gathering’s nomination to problem him. — Invoice Mahoney
FIGHTING REVENGE PORN: State lawmakers wish to broaden New York’s legislation combating revenge porn.
A invoice being thought of within the last week of the legislative session is supposed to strengthen the preliminary 2019 provision that created prison penalties for the non-consensual launch of intimate photographs and movies.
State Sen. Monica Martinez, a Lengthy Island Democrat, desires to incorporate an enlargement that may criminalize the specter of disseminating that materials as effectively.
“The threat of releasing compromising personal content can be just as psychologically damaging to a victim as the act itself,” Martinez stated in a press release. “This enhancement of the law will better protect New Yorkers from the perpetrator who attempts to use shame as an instrument of coercion.”
The invoice was beforehand authorised within the Senate, however is but to be authorised within the Meeting. Lawmakers in that chamber have been hesitant to embrace an enlargement of prison penalties. — Nick Reisman
ACTION ON HEALTH ACT: A decision endorsing the “goals” of the New York Well being Act — a invoice making a single-payer well being care plan to supply common protection within the state — was authorised for the time by the state Democratic Committee at this week’s conference.
The decision additionally referred to as on the governor and Legislature to “expedite legislative solutions” to make sure full well being care protection for all New Yorkers.
The vote is symbolic. However supporters of the measure hope it can present a jolt of momentum for the New York Well being Act, which dates again many years and has struggled to win widespread help amongst Democrats amid opposition from the state’s highly effective public-sector unions.
The invoice was reintroduced in July 2023 by Well being Committee Chairs Assemblymember Amy Paulin and state Sen. Gustavo Rivera.
“This resolution unifies the Democratic party in the goal of passing the New York Health Act, the only legislation that offers comprehensive healthcare to every New Yorker without barriers to care,” stated Melanie D’Arrigo, government director of the Marketing campaign for New York Well being and a former Democratic Congressional candidate.
State Democratic Occasion Chair Jay Jacobs advised Playbook the measure was authorised “understanding there are complex issues to be determined” given the opposition from key constituencies like labor.
However Jacobs can level to areas of clearer settlement for Democrats at its two-day state conference: A decision that condemned antisemitism within the wake of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in school campuses throughout the nation which have created a political headache for Democrats in an election yr was additionally authorised.
“The fact that it was unanimous speaks volumes to where Democrats stand on this issue,” Jacobs stated. — Maya Kaufman and Nick Reisman
— HOCHUL’S BIG BUFFALO BILLS PROBLEM: An ethics watchdog company has subpoenaed the Empire State Growth for information associated to using the state-owned “I Love New York” suite on the Buffalo Payments’ stadium which has been loved by prime state lawmakers. (NY Focus)
— CALL IT A COMEBACK: The Supreme Courtroom unanimously dominated that an appellate courtroom was too fast to throw out the NRA’s claims. Even Democratic justices, like Sonia Sotomayor, who routinely sided in opposition to the NRA, modified issues up and voted of their favor. (POLITICO)
— TRUMP’S TESTIMONY: Donald Trump stated he needed to testify throughout his hush cash trial. Nevertheless it was too little too late, and he didn’t wish to get hit with a possible perjury cost. (Each day Information)
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? Learn it right here.
The publish Why Bruce Blakeman is beginning to solid doubt appeared first on World On-line.
