There’s new opposition to movements grounded in the values of diversity, equity and inclusion in today’s politics and that presents a new challenge for advocates like L. Joy Williams, the president of the NAACP New York State Conference. The NAACP was first founded in New York more than a century ago and, while a lot has changed, the fight for equity remains strong. We sat down with Williams to chat about her vision in New York and her plan for achieving it. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...
Jun 26, 2025•21 min
The big buzzword at the state Capitol this year was “affordability,” with lawmakers trying to find ways to lower New York’s cost of living. Whether you think they made headway there depends on which side of the aisle you’re on. We never get to just sit and talk about affordability. So, this week, we sat down with Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt for an open-ended conversation about what he sees as the easiest solutions to New York’s cost of living problem. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...
Jun 12, 2025•36 min
Artificial intelligence is evolving at a pace that’s been hard for regulators to match. Some systems can now generate videos, images and sound that mirrors what you would expect in the real world. That kind of power comes with a lot of risk. So what can New York do to prevent artificial intelligence from being used in nefarious or problematic ways? We talk about that this week with Assemblyman Alex Bores, a Democrats who’s been focused on A.I. since he joined the Legislature in 2023. Learn more ...
May 29, 2025•31 min
New York just approved the latest state budget in 15 years, prompting criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle over how the spending plan comes together each year. Sen. James Skoufis is one of those lawmakers and joins us with his thoughts. Physician-assisted death, also called medical aid in dying by supporters and physician-assisted suicide by opponents, is a top end-of-session bill that’s prompted a lot of questions. We answer them with Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, its sponsor. Learn ...
May 15, 2025•29 min
New York has considered building high-speed rail for decades. Gov. George Pataki made a push for it when he was in office but it lost steam. Senate Transportation Chair Jeremy Cooney talks about how New York could get on track. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 01, 2025•27 min
It’s been a while but we’re back. You’ll now start seeing new content from the CapCon podcast in your feeds, starting with this episode. State Budget Director Blake Washington joins us to talk through ongoing negotiations on the state budget, what’s happening behind the scenes and what potential cuts from the federal government will mean down the line. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 15, 2025•26 min
New York’s top executive sat down with Times Union Capitol Correspondent Dan Clark this week for an exclusive interview at Hearst Tower. They talked about the 2024 elections, her support for President Biden, climate change, congestion pricing, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 19, 2024•55 min•Season 6Ep. 9
The Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge is a 3-mile span over the Hudson river that connects Rockland and Westchester counties, just 25 miles north of New York City. It's a major commuter route, and bears hundreds of thousands of vehicle crossings each day. It replaced the long-ailing Tappan Zee Bridge in 2017, amid much fanfare from state and local officials. Now a comprehensive report from Brendan Lyons, the Times Union's managing editor for investigations, details a whistleblower’s account of the ...
Mar 08, 2021•25 min•Season 3Ep. 15
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is facing perfect storm of threats to his administration, finding himself both in the crosshairs of an investigation by the FBI and the Justice Department into his handling of nursing home deaths due to COVID-19, and accused of sexual harassment by multiple women. Cuomo addressed the sexual harassment allegations during a press conference this week, in which he apologized for his behavior. On this episode of Capitol Confidential, Times Union Capitol Bureau Managing...
Mar 05, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 14
A recent admission by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s top aide, Secretary Melissa DeRosa, that they withheld nursing home coronavirus data to state legislators over fear that President Donald J. Trump would use the data against New York continues to roil the governor’s administration. In turn, a federal investigation into Cuomo’s handling of the virus in the long-term care facilities is on the docket and legislators are seeking to impeach the governor. On this episode of the Capitol Confidential Podcast,...
Feb 19, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 11
New York Attorney General Letitia James released a searing report this week finding that the state Department of Health underreported the deaths of nursing home residents who died from COVID-19 by as much as 50 percent. The 76-page report follows a months-long investigation by the attorney general’s office into allegations of patient neglect and other conduct that jeopardized the health and safety of residents and employees. State health officials responded by again defending their actions, and ...
Jan 29, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 10
This week, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo unveiled two budget proposals. Both are contingent upon how much New York state receives from the federal government. Cuomo even threatened to sue if the state doesn't get the $15 billion in federal aid that he has requested. That's enough to fill the budget gap that the governor and budget officials have cited for months. Capital Confidential host Amanda Fries talks with reporters about what the executive budget means for the region. What happens if the state doe...
Jan 22, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 9
North Country Representative Elise Stefanik has been a steadily rising star in the Republican party since she joined Congress in 2014. Her stock rose sharply during the Trump presidency, when she aligned herself with the administration and actively supported its policies. She won a fourth term representing New York's 21st district handily this past November, with widespread support from local leaders and lawmakers. Yet more than a week after a violent siege at the U.S. Capitol and the second imp...
Jan 15, 2021•18 min•Season 2Ep. 8
As a violent mob of President Trump's supporters broke into the United States Capitol Wednesday afternoon, a smaller protest also turned violent outside the New York State Capitol. Times Union Managing Editor Brendan Lyons, Washington correspondent Emilie Munson and State reporter Ed McKinley discuss the events of this week, New York lawmakers' reactions, and what it all means for government at both the federal and state levels. *This podcast was recorded on Thursday, a day after the protests. L...
Jan 08, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 7
The first FDA-approved coronavirus vaccines have arrived in New York this week, and the state has started vaccinating front-line healthcare workers. Times Union Capitol Bureau reporter Amanda Fries leads a discussion of the state's plan for the initial doses with reporter Ed McKinley and Washington correspondent Emilie Munson. Also on this episode, the latest on sexual harassment allegations leveled against Governor Andrew Cuomo this week, and an interview with State Senate-elect Michelle Hinche...
Dec 15, 2020•32 min•Season 2Ep. 5
This week New York State Senate Democrats declared that they'd gained a history-making "supermajority," after the absentee ballot count in several key races swung the results in their favor. Times Union Capitol Bureau reporters Amanda Fries and Chris Bragg join Managing Editor Brendan Lyons to talk about the development, and what it means for legislative priorities going into the year. Will they address progressive agenda items like recreational marijuana? And will they exercise their veto-proof...
Nov 24, 2020•20 min•Season 2Ep. 4
As the counting of absentee ballots in New York continues, the ultimate power balance in the state Senate and Assembly remains somewhat murky. A number of close races in both chambers that initially appeared in favor of Republican candidates after Election Day seem to be narrowing even further as the numbers come in, and the final outcomes are still not definitive. The process may take weeks yet, and will determine whether this historically blue state saw a legitimate surge in support for Republ...
Nov 12, 2020•15 min•Season 2Ep. 3
State Senate Democrats were confident going into the 2020 election that they'd come out with a supermajority. But as the returns came in this week, it became clear that it wasn't as likely as they'd hoped. Instead, it was the GOP leaders who celebrated a potential increase in their ranks. But as Times Union Capitol Bureau reporters Amanda Fries, Chris Bragg and Edward McKinley observe in this episode of Capitol Confidential, the final outcome of the balance of power in New York is still being ta...
Nov 05, 2020•17 min•Season 2Ep. 2
What are the scenarios that could play out on Election Night? Will it be decided before the sun rises, or will there be protracted legal battles that will delay the final result for weeks? Capitol Bureau reporter Ed McKinley and Washington correspondent Emilie Munson answer these questions and more in this special edition of Capitol Confidential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 02, 2020•19 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Times Union editor Casey Seiler and state editor Brendan Lyons discuss the history of the controversial New York law 50-a, which protects police records, and the likelihood of a historic repeal this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 10, 2020•25 min
As New York state battles the coronavirus pandemic, Washington correspondent Emilie Munson checks in with Capital Region Rep. Paul Tonko on the $2 trillion stimulus package Congress passed. Meanwhile, state editor Brendan Lyons connects with a nurse working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 fight at a hospital in Long Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 02, 2020•30 min
New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker talks to the Times Union's Brendan Lyons about the coronavirus, how it spreads, and what New Yorkers should be doing to slow it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 23, 2020•23 min
What's it like to be the first woman in the room during state budget negotiations after decades of all-male closed-door talks? A special edition of the Times Union's CapCon political podcast features a discussion with state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins that addresses that very question. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 28, 2020•1 hr 1 min
Two recent reports are sounding the alarm about the state's Medicaid spending this year, which could result in future cuts to health care or education. Mark Ustin, a health care lobbyist and veteran of the Pataki administration, joined the podcast to explain what this means for New Yorkers who use and pay for Medicaid. The conversation touched on recent efforts to curb Medicaid spending in New York, creative budgeting practices and what might be gleaned from the state's mid-year financial update...
Oct 18, 2019•17 min
New York's gambling landscape is far from settled, with the next big shakeup likely to be the introduction of casinos into the New York City area. One potential recipient of a casino license is the Empire City Casino in Yonkers, where harness racing and electronic gaming is available. Empire City Casino President Uri Clinton joined the podcast to discuss the continuing evolution of gambling in New York, the future of racing in Yonkers and the competition for gaming dollars in the region. He also...
Sep 06, 2019•20 min
Assemblyman Ed Ra isn't naive enough to think that even his best floor debate can stymie legislation being advanced by his Democratic colleagues, who enjoy an overwhelming majority in the chamber. But the Long Island Republican, who serves as the assistant floor leader for the GOP, does believe he plays an important part in the legislative process by raising concerns, asking questions and (in some cases) prompting bills to be amended. Ra joined the podcast to talk about life on the floor in the ...
Aug 30, 2019•32 min
Legislation enabling undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses had a lot working against it in Albany this year. Despite Democratic-control of the state government, the proposal was wildly unpopular with members from the New York City suburbs and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo seemed unenthusiastic about the issue. Sen. Luis Sepulveda, the Bronx Democrat who helped shepherd the proposal across the finish line, joined the podcast to explain the uphill battle for the year's most unlikely new la...
Aug 23, 2019•22 min
Joyce Mitchell made her case for parole on June 4 at the women's prison in Bedford Hills. The former Clinton Correctional employee has been incarcerated for nearly four years due to her role in aiding a high-profile prison escape in 2015. Following the hearing, Mitchell was denied parole. The Times Union has turned excerpts of the transcript from the hearing into a bonus episode, with editors Susan Mehalick and Sara Tracey lending their voices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...
Aug 02, 2019•23 min
For about a decade, reporters in Albany would take their Monday morning cues from Ken Lovett's weekly column, which would be filled with state government scoops. This past February, the veteran reporter retired from journalism on his own terms after 25 years of Capitol coverage. Lovett joined the podcast to talk about his time with the state's two prolific tabloids: the New York Post and Daily News. The conversation addressed his approach to reporting, the pressure to break news and occasions wh...
Aug 02, 2019•38 min
Assemblywoman Amy Paulin is one of the busiest lawmakers in Albany, where she routinely shepherds the most bills through the legislative process. She joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to explain her approach, and how it has evolved since joining the Assembly nearly two decades ago. The conversation also touched on how she finds sponsors for legislation in the state Senate, her affinity for policy details and what's on tap for next year's session. She also explained the challenge of getting...
Jul 26, 2019•24 min
