Jewish GOTV push intensifies in NY-16

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With help from Irie Sentner

Westchester County organizers who have enrolled Republicans and independents as Democrats as part of their effort to amplify Jewish voices in the Jamaal Bowman-George Latimer slugfest now want to ensure the community actually votes.

And they’re seeing success so far.

Likely Jewish voters have requested early mail-in ballots at nearly five times the rate of likely non-Jewish voters, according to data compiled and crunched by the Westchester Unites campaign.

“We are doing the most sophisticated, organized voter registration, voter turnout effort I think the community has ever seen,” Maury Litwack, founder of Teach Coalition, told Playbook.

Teach Coalition, which advocates for yeshivas and Jewish day schools, is behind the Westchester Unites effort that Litwack estimated will spend $1 million “all in” on the high-stakes June primary.

They’re soon sending a mailer with early mail-in voting guidance that reads, “With antisemitism on the rise, use your voice, don’t wait to vote.” And they have a brick-and-mortar voter center in New Rochelle.

Litwack said Westchester Unites won’t endorse in the 16th Congressional District race and doesn’t instruct voters on any particular candidate. But it’s obvious that Latimer would benefit from this registration drive.

Latimer, the moderate Westchester County executive backed by the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, is challenging Bowman, a progressive critical of Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu’s military operation in Gaza. Theirs is perhaps the most intensely competitive House primary in the nation.

Those stakes are motivating Westchester Unites, whose data shows 32 percent of early mail-in ballots have been requested by likely Jewish voters (nearly 2,000 as of this week) though they make up just 9 percent of the population.

Westchester Unites is targeting an overall universe of 28,000 voters.

Earlier this year, they re-registered more than 2,000 one-time Republican or independent voters as Democrats.

Groups aligned with Bowman, a two-term member of The Squad in the fight of his political life, have made a point of spotlighting Republicans boosting Latimer.

“This shows a concerted effort to use whatever tactics are available to try to override the will of Democratic voters in a Democratic primary,” Sophie Ellman-Golan, spokesperson for Jews for Jamaal, told Playbook.

“Westchester voters should be outraged that the GOP is meddling in the election — both through their super PAC spending and re-registering of voters,” New York Working Families Party spokesperson Ravi Mangla told Playbook, referencing the $1.9 million in planned spending by AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, which has Republican donors.

Litwack responded that the party-switching should be looked at differently.

“It’s about people understanding that the primary is going to be decisive,” he said, “and if the primary is going to be decisive, you want to vote in the primary.” — Emily Ngo

HAPPY FRIDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.

WHERE’S KATHY? In Ireland meeting with Taoiseach Simon Harris, visiting the the Oireachtas, meeting with the Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithí de Róiste and making an Economic Development Announcement.

WHERE’S ERIC? Delivering remarks at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Innovation in Integrative Oncology Symposium, calling in for a live interview on Good Music, Good Times LIVE’s “The Reset Talk Show” and speaking at Freedom Hall Church of God’s 80th birthday celebration for Apostle Cecil G. Riley.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Whereas New York City Police Department Commissioner Edward Caban has warned New Yorkers of a ‘wave of migrant crime’ and Democrat Mayor Eric Adams has claimed the migrant crisis will ‘destroy New York City.’” — Part of a House Resolution “condemning the Biden border crisis” by Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) that passed with unanimous GOP support Wednesday — the latest example of Adams’ words being used against Democrats.

ABOVE THE FOLD

THE POPE, JESUS, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE ANYWAY?: During a speech on climate at the Vatican on Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul repeated a charming anecdote from her childhood she’s delivered in the past — her grandparents hung a picture of JFK on the wall right next to a picture of Jesus.

But this time, she replaced Jesus with the pope.

“I’m inspired by the pope,” she said Wednesday. “I grew up in a house where my grandparents had a picture of the current pope on the wall every day. It was right up there next to John Kennedy. So I thought they’re equally important, and I’m Irish Catholic. I found out today they weren’t.”

This story is similar to one she’s told about her grandparents at least two other times — with a few differences.

In 2019, Hochul told the Irish Echo: “On the wall, heading into their little kitchen, was a picture of Jesus right next to a picture of John Kennedy. They were equally positioned, one was not higher than the other.”

And in 2021, she penned a first-person narrative in honor of St. Patrick’s Day for the same newspaper, where she offered more detail about the memory.

“I remember as a young girl often walking into their tiny 2-bedroom house where they raised 8 children,” she wrote. “The first image I saw on the wall was a picture of Jesus Christ. ... Next to that picture, placed equally in prominence, was a portrait of John F. Kennedy, the first Irish-American president …

“The juxtaposition of those two pictures showed me that compassionate service to others, which my religious beliefs call for, can be accomplished through political leadership,” the governor continued.

But the Irish Voice newspaper also wrote in the same year that Hochul vividly remembers pictures of JFK and Pope John on her grandparents’ wall — and the article left no room for a picture of Jesus.

Either way, the anecdote resonated with the chuckling audience Monday, which was made up of foreign dignitaries, fellow governors and papal representatives gathered for the three-day conference on climate change.

Hochul’s press team issued the following statement on the oratorical discrepancies:

“This Pontifical Summit was focused on climate change, not interior decorating, so Governor Hochul’s remarks did not include a full inventory of every item ever displayed at her grandparents’ home,” spokesperson Katy Zielinski said. “The Courtney family lived modestly but nonetheless had enough space to proudly display pictures of the Pope, Jesus Christ, and President Kennedy.” — Jason Beeferman

CITY HALL: THE LATEST

NO SIGN OF PEACE: City Council Member Kalman Yeger is threatening to sue the council over Speaker Adrienne Adams’ directive banning paper signs from their City Hall desks.

“I’ve certainly spoken with lawyers. I’m not going to take that off the table,” Yeger told Playbook Thursday. If Adams says there’s a rule against signs on desks, “she’s either stupid or lying,” Yeger added. “I like to think just that she’s lying.”

Yeger has had paper signs supporting Israeli hostages taken by Hamas taped to his desk for months, but he’s not the only one. A dozen or so other members have displayed signs, including “Cease-fire Now” for the Israel-Hamas war, and a remembrance of police officers killed in the line of duty.

The often outspoken Yeger avoided breaking the sign ban at the council meeting Thursday. Instead, he and fellow conservatives Robert Holden and Vickie Paladino engaged in a quiet protest, pinning Israeli hostage posters to their jackets.

Adams said there hadn’t been any complaints about the signs, but after months, it was time to enforce the rules. And she brushed off Yeger’s complaints.

“I would really urge any members that do have any issues with First Amendment rights really to familiarize yourselves with the council rules, and the U.S. Constitution and what the First Amendment is,” she said. — Jeff Coltin

DEPARTURE LOUNGE: News broke of three top Adams administration officials leaving their jobs within an hour Thursday — the latest round of departures in the third year of the mayor’s term, as he gears up for a 2025 reelection.

Senior adviser Joel Eisdorfer, a close confidant who has worked with Adams since his state Senate days, announced he’s leaving in the Forward at 4:30 p.m.

City Hall announced Risk Management and Compliance Director Marjorie Landa’s retirement about 30 minutes later.

And Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin Kim announced his departure with PIX11 just after 5:30 p.m.

The exits come after the abrupt departure last week of Ethnic & Community Media Director José Bayona — who’d worked with Adams on his mayoral campaign. Deputy communications director Kate Smart announced she’s leaving to work on a U.S. Senate campaign the same day.

Director for the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes Hassan Naveed was reportedly fired last month, and both corporation counsel Sylvia Hinds-Radix and Civilian Complaint Review Board chairperson Arva Rice are getting forced out.

Adams had kind words for Thursday’s departing staffers.

Spokesperson Fabien Levy thanked them for taking demanding jobs. “This is the city that never sleeps, and after nearly 2.5 years without enough sleep, each one of these team members have earned a well-deserved break,” he said. “These are tough jobs and we’re grateful for however much time any individual is willing to spend serving our city.” — Jeff Coltin

BILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION: The city is sitting on another $1 billion cash cushion ahead of the upcoming budget, according to a recent report from the Independent Budget Office.

In total, IBO is projecting a $1.1 billion surplus for the current fiscal year ending June 30 — cash that can be rolled into next year’s spending plan currently being negotiated with the City Council. Around $800 million of that sum comes from salaries and benefits that have been earmarked for unfilled positions.

City Hall pushed back on the assessment, noting that many agencies already took headcount cuts to meet savings targets and that the money left might be needed to pay for essential services.

Keeping money tied up in budget lines that will never be used, however, is also an adroit negotiation tactic: Because the cash is technically spoken for, it can be kept out of the hands of the City Council or organized labor for most of the year-long budget cycle.

The unspent cash can then be shifted around during final negotiations and be used to cover demands from lawmakers and reverse unpopular cuts. — Joe Anuta

More from the city:

— Business titans privately urged Adams to use police on Columbia protesters, chats show, while discussing campaign contributions to support him. (Washington Post)

— Some families say they didn’t get a 3-K seat at any of the preschool programs to which they applied, despite Adams’ pledge that everyone who wanted one would get one. (Chalkbeat)

— In a bid to curb shoplifting, Adams wants more stores to share security video with the NYPD. (Daily News)

NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY

BOTTLE BILL WOES: A dozen Black clergy members are urging state lawmakers not to take up an expansion of the state’s bottle deposit law to include containers for wine, liquor, hard cider, non-carbonated teas and sports drinks.

Their concern: Adding more bottles for deposit would increase grocery bills.

“We are all too aware that the cost of living in New York continues to rise, leading to families being priced out of neighborhoods they have called home for years,” the clergy members wrote in a letter obtained by Playbook.

The opposition is only the latest blow to the measure. Last week, the influential New York State AFL-CIO signaled it opposed the bottle deposit expansion as well. — Nick Reisman

ALBANY AND AI: Getting a handle on artificial intelligence has been a global challenge. And two Democratic state lawmakers are making an effort.

Sen. Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Steve Otis want a review of how state agencies are using artificial intelligence tools, including technology like automated decision-making.

Both lawmakers are backing legislation meant to assess AI usage at the state agency level and set ground rules for how the technology is deployed.

How agencies like the State Police or the Department of Transportation are using AI could have a wide-ranging impact on New Yorkers.

Already there has been concern over how some governments, including New York City, have used automated chats that spewed out misinformation.

“The first step to getting our arms around any issue is just knowing what we’re dealing with,” Gonzalez said. “That’s why it’s important for public transparency to know which agencies are using it.”

It’s a potentially tricky proposition considering how quick the technology is advancing and that the state government’s track record in regulating emerging industries has been a relatively slow one (remember how long it took to legalize ride-hailing apps?)

Still, the legislators want to start now and potentially put their own stamp on how AI is being used – and better understand it along the way.

“The technologies move much faster than even the laws that were put in early on,” Otis said. “That’s the challenge for state legislators and national legislators around the world.” — Nick Reisman

More from Albany:

— Assemblymember Landon Dais, one of the newest lawmakers in Albany, is already prepping for a primary. (Bronx Times)

— More local control may be possible under a new teacher evaluation system. (Newsday)

— The state’s new $90 million tax break for local news excludes TV and non-profit publications. (Gothamist)

KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION

PARTY SPLIT: Democratic Reps. Tom Suozzi and Ritchie Torres helped pass a GOP bill rebuking the Biden administration’s decision to withhold certain weapons from Israel on Thursday, despite Democratic leadership advising members to vote against it.

The bill condemns the White House’s decision to withhold certain weapons in the Israel-Hamas war as President Joe Biden faces backlash from the left.

The rest of the New York delegation voted down party lines. — Mia McCarthy

DUELING PROTESTS: A group of New York Republicans staged a counter-protest against Capitol Hill staffers protesting the war in Gaza.

Republican Reps. Mike Lawler, Nick LaLota, Nick Langworthy and Anthony D’Esposito arrived at the House steps at the U.S. Capitol with American flags before the protestors arrived. The lawmakers were not seen saying anything to the protestors but moved to their spot as the protestors left to speak with the press.

“The American people didn’t elect these staffers. They elected their representatives,” Lawler said. “They have a right to vote how they want. If these staffers don’t like that, then they should resign.”

Lawler added that he thinks the staffers should be fired. — Mia McCarthy

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

— Tesla is laying off more workers in Buffalo amid economic concerns. (Buffalo News)

— Outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse on Thursday, a Trump-supporting demonstrator released numerous helium balloons shaped like male genitalia. (POLITICO)

— Business titans privately urged Adams to use police on Columbia protesters. (Washington Post)

SOCIAL DATA

Edited by Daniel Lippman

MAKING MOVES — Mike Kuiken is departing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office as national security adviser after more than seven years. Kuiken joined the Senate Armed Services Committee staff under the late Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) shortly after 9/11 and stayed on the committee staff with Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.). Schumer paid tribute to Kuiken on the Senate floor earlier this month. ...

… Natalie Raabe has been hired to head up communications at Barnard College. She spent the last ten years at The New Yorker, most recently as VP for communications. … Aaron Weinberg is now senior foreign policy adviser to Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.). He is an Israel Policy Forum, DNC and Jan Schakowsky alum. … Micah Spangler has been promoted to be senior director of advocacy and external relations at the U.N. Foundation. …

… Jean-Claude LeBec is Adams’ new director of the Mayor’s Office of Risk Management and Compliance. He was previously director of strategic initiatives for the Office of Asylum Seeker Operations. … Charlotte Ross has been promoted to be a partner at Inspired Capital. ... Jesica Severson is now director of council trips at the Council on Foreign Relations. She most recently was director of product development and merchandising for the New York Times.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo … NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell … NYT’s Mike Shear, Reid Epstein and Maria Abi-Habib … WSJ’s Robin Turner … David Brancaccio … Bloomberg’s Jeremy Lin … Derrick Robinson … Dolly Moorhead … Rebecca Nelson Kay … Robert Petito … (WAS THURSDAY): Andrew Lack ... Richard N. Gottfried ... Edgar Bronfman Jr. ... Michael E. Pollock

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