It's a time of transition for the New York Racing Association. This includes a new leader, David O'Rourke, who is steering the organization through an evolving gambling landscape, major changes at their tracks and concerns about equine safety. He joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to talk about all this, and much more, including the legacy he hopes to leave. Editor's note: This interview is also featured on New York Now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 19, 2019•14 min
In the waning days of the legislative session, state lawmakers and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo agreed to ambitious energy and emissions goals to help combat climate change. And while it's clear where New York needs to end up, it's not so clear how we'll get there. Business Council of New York's director of government affairs Darren Suarez and New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe joined the podcast to highlight the potential paths New Yorkers might follow, and how it will change ...
Jun 28, 2019•31 min
Legalizing marijuana in New York hasn't been as easy as expected after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo threw his weight behind the idea. The fate of legislation creating a framework for recreational use is unclear as state lawmakers prepare to make their exit for the year from the Capitol. This uphill battle isn't a surprise to the Rockefeller Institute's Heather Trela, who recently completed a report on the structural challenges in adopting marijuana legalization through the legislative process. She joine...
Jun 14, 2019•25 min•Season 3Ep. 1
It took one month in 2009 for order to be restored in the state Senate following an attempted power grab that upset the status quo in the chamber. But the ramifications, which are covered on the final installment of the Times Union's "Tales from the Coup" podcast series, would shape the immediate future of the Senate and have effects that remain for the new Democratic majority. The episode follows the demise of the two renegade Democratic senators who plotted with GOP senators and examines how t...
Jun 07, 2019•45 min•Season 2Ep. 7
This bonus episode explores how the "Tales from the Coup" series came together. Times Union managing editor Casey Seiler talked with podcast host David Lombardo about his interest in the "Senate Coup," wrangling guests and bringing it all together. The conversation explains how Sen. Diane Savino got involved, the editing process, and what's next for the Capitol Confidential podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 05, 2019•16 min
A constitutionally questionable appointment and some cold feed ended the summer stalemate at the Capitol in 2009. One month after defecting to the Republicans, Sen. Pedro Espada rejoined the Democrats, restoring their majority in the chamber. This installment of the "Tales from the Coup" series examines the bold step Gov. David Paterson made to end the impasse, negotiations to create a power-sharing agreement in the Senate and the return of the prodigal senator. New episodes of the Capitol Confi...
May 31, 2019•42 min•Season 2Ep. 6
The chaos that occurred on June 8, 2009 – when Senate Republicans, along with two wayward Democrats, attempted to take control of the chamber – was just an appetizer for what would come the following month. This installment of the "Tales from the Coup" series details the madness that unfolded in Albany that summer, as power in the chamber was up for grabs and the state government came to a halt. The episode covers the constant barrage of meaningless senate sessions, the ouster of a legislative l...
May 24, 2019•53 min•Season 2Ep. 5
June 8, 2009 was supposed to be a quiet day in the state Senate. But the plans of the Democratic majority were quickly upended when Senate Republicans initiated a procedural power grab to take back control of the chamber they had run for decades. This tumultuous day in New York history is the focus for the latest installment of the "Tales from the Coup" podcast series. The episode explores how the procedural gambit worked, highlights the action on the floor of the Senate and reveals how lawmaker...
May 17, 2019•42 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Senate Democrats didn't realize they had defectors in their ranks in 2009 until it was too late. For months leading up to the coup, political operatives met in secret - including across the street from the governor's mansion - to develop their plot. When the plan was implemented it caught all of Albany off guard, an impressive feat in a town known for its leaks. The third installment of the Capitol Confidential podcast's "Tales from the Coup" series explores the behind-the-scenes events that led...
May 10, 2019•29 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Progressive activists in New York frustrated by the pace of change during this year's legislative session, would have been sorely disappointed by the progress made 10 years earlier in Albany. Heading into the 2009, there was an expectation that with Democrats controlling all the levers of state government, a liberal wish list - long bottled up by Republican control of the state Senate - would be easy to accomplish at the Capitol. But the legislative session would be anything but easy for Democra...
May 03, 2019•43 min•Season 2Ep. 2
The "Senate Coup" of 2009 caught Albany by surprise, but the writing was on the wall months earlier after Senate Democrats first secured their slim majority. This first episode of Capitol Confidential's "Tales from the Coup" series focuses on the leadership battle after the 2008 election and how it signaled the stalemate that was coming. The podcast will introduce the "Four Amigos," highlight the political rise of Malcolm Smith and explain the deal that was struck to hold the Democratic conferen...
Apr 26, 2019•31 min•Season 2Ep. 1
For the 10-year anniversary of the Senate Coup, the Capitol Confidential podcast is doing a deep dive into the players and politics that shaped this historic struggle for power in Albany. This multi-episode journey will unearth buried memories, shine a light on all the plot twists and explore the ramifications for the past decade, as we hear from the lawmakers, reporters and staffers who survived the tumultuous summer of 2009. The leadership battle will also be the focus of a live forum at the H...
Apr 18, 2019•3 min
It was a little more than 12 years ago that Tom DiNapoli, then a member of the state Assembly, was tapped by his legislative colleagues to become the next state comptroller. The Long Island Democrat has since won three elections to the post and is planning on running again in 2022. DiNapoli joined the podcast to talk about his elevation in 2007, the controversy surrounding his selection and his flirtation with a run for lieutenant governor. The interview also explored his re-election bid and tho...
Apr 12, 2019•21 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is known for bold and progressive rhetoric addressing climate change, and this year's talking points were backed up by new language in the state budget. Environmental Advocates of New York Executive Director Peter Iwanowicz joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to discuss the governor's rhetorical commitment to the "Green New Deal," as well as the substantive plan to get New York on “100 percent clean power by 2040." The conversation also addressed climate change legislation ...
Mar 08, 2019•22 min•Season 1Ep. 35
A president from the Capital Region. That's the promise embodied in U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's run for the White House. The Democratic contender has deep roots to the region, including her grandmother's role in Albany's political machine, and she calls Rensselaer County home today. Gillibrand joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to talk with Times Union reporter Rachel Silberstein about serving the area in Congress, her political evolution, and much more. An even deeper dive into her form...
Mar 01, 2019•21 min•Season 1Ep. 34
State lawmakers on this week adopted the first major batch of gun-control measures in New York since the SAFE Act of 2013, and pledged they won't wait another six years before revisiting state firearm laws. The package of bills would enable New Yorkers to seek a court order to temporarily remove guns from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others, ban bump stocks, prohibit teachers from being armed in schools, establish a fund and guidance for local gun buyback programs, and extend ...
Feb 01, 2019•22 min•Season 1Ep. 33
New York is poised to adopt adult-use marijuana in a few months, as lawmakers appear to be on board and Gov. Andrew Cuomo included a regulatory framework in his state budget. As the state heads into these uncharted waters, the Capitol Confidential podcast turned to Weedmaps President Christopher Beals for guidance. The episode explored what makes a successful marijuana market, examined different tax structures and revealed what consumers in New York might be able to expect with legalization. The...
Jan 25, 2019•24 min•Season 1Ep. 32
It's that time of year again in the Capitol, when life as we know it stops and the budget process begins. This year's season is off to a familiar start, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo offering a PowerPoint presentation in a frigid state theater packed with acolytes and lawmakers, but it's also poised to be very different. The variable heading into budget negotiations is the Democratic-controlled state Legislature, which is an unfamiliar quantity in Albany. Newsday's Mike Gormley joined the podcast to br...
Jan 18, 2019•19 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Before the media fascination with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (lack of) national ambition, it was his father who stirred up speculation about a White House run. In 1991, 32-year-old Terry Lynam was one of the staffers then-Gov. Mario Cuomo dispatched to New Hampshire to lay the groundwork for a presidential campaign that never came to fruition. This episode features Lynam talking about his experience in the field, the political atmosphere at the time and what could have happened if Mario ran. And when y...
Jan 11, 2019•20 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Long before the world would meet New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott through the performance by actress Bonnie Hunt, then-Gov. Mario Cuomo was looking for the first person to fill the newly created post. The original state inspector general was FBI special agent Joseph Spinelli, who joined the Capitol Confidential podcast to talk about creating the office and going after corruption in New York. The interview explores the tip line he set up, the need for procurement oversight a...
Jan 04, 2019•20 min•Season 1Ep. 29
At 25-years-old, Jim Skoufis was elected to the state Assembly. With six years of Capitol experience under his belt, he is making the leap next year to the state Senate, where he joins a new Democratic majority. Skoufis joined the podcast to talk about his decision to run, the congressional race that never materialized, his plans on running a robust oversight committee and the "passionate" approach he brings to his job. The conversation also touches on his recent campaign and one of his pet poli...
Dec 28, 2018•28 min•Season 1Ep. 28
The political career of Andrea Stewart-Cousins began as a volunteer on a city council race in Yonkers, and nearly three decades later she will take on the role of majority leader in the state Senate. This evolution and much more about the Democratic leader was the subject of an in-depth profile by Times Union reporter Rachel Silberstein. This episode of the Capitol Confidential podcast features excerpts of their conversation. The interview touched on her plans for addressing sexual harassment, t...
Dec 21, 2018•28 min•Season 1Ep. 27
New York's lawmakers are poised to get $30,500 raise in January, and an additional $10,000 in the following two years. New York Law Journal reporter Dan Clark joined the podcast to explain the process that led to the first salary increases in two decades, including the special committee created in the state budget, the buyer's remorse from the Legislature and potential legal challenges. The episode dives deep into the committee's actions and highlights the unanswered questions that could blow ev...
Dec 14, 2018•23 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Compared to serving in combat overseas, Democrat Aaron Gladd's campaign for state Senate was a walk in the park. His underdog campaign to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Kathy Marchione was waged without any muscle from Senate Democrats and in a deep red district, where Senate Republicans and special interests spent heavily to keep the seat from flipping hands. Along the way to a 10,00 vote loss (which was a much closer margin than any recent efforts by Democrats in the district), Gladd picked up the ...
Nov 16, 2018•30 min•Season 1Ep. 25
The highly anticipated "Blue Wave" delivered on Election Day in New York, where Democrats won an overwhelming majority in the state Senate and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo cruised to a third term in office. USA Today Network's Jon Campbell joined the podcast to explain the results and what they mean for the upcoming legislative session. The conversation addressed the races that turned the Senate from red to blue, the future of New York's third parties, and the agenda that will dominate the Capitol start...
Nov 09, 2018•24 min•Season 1Ep. 24
The state Senate has never been more exciting! Control of the narrowly divided 63-seat chamber is up for grabs on Election Day, and a handful of races are toss ups and more are well positioned for an upset. To breakdown the most important races the podcast turned to local reporters from Long Island, the Hudson Valley, central New York and the Capital Region for insights from the districts. The conversations explore the local issues, outside spending, voting trends and the affect of the top of th...
Nov 02, 2018•33 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Election Day is less than two weeks away and the fate of New York's most competitive congressional races is still a bit hazy. To help bring some clarity to the campaigns, political data analyst Noah Rudnick joined the podcast to explain his election forecasting model and explore the underlying fundamentals in the hotly contested congressional seats, including the 19th Congressional District race between Republican incumbent John Faso and Democratic challenger Antonio Delgado. The conversation ex...
Oct 26, 2018•26 min•Season 1Ep. 22
David Carlucci, an original member of the state Senate's Independent Democratic Conference and one of two to survive the primary night purges, joined the podcast for a look back and forward. The conversation examined the breakaway conference's founding and folding, his experience rejoining the Democratic fold and the potential for control of the chamber can flip. Carlucci also offered advice for the likely new class of millennial senators, experiencing the opioid epidemic as a town official and ...
Oct 19, 2018•22 min•Season 1Ep. 21
If 1992 was the "Year of the Woman," then 2018 is the "Year of Women." Across the country a record number of women are pursuing elected office and New York is seeing the same trend, with more than 100 women running for state legislative races this year. Two of those candidates, Michelle Ostrelich, a Democratic state Senate hopeful, and Mary Beth Walsh, a Republican member of the state Assembly, joined the podcast to talk about their only path in politics. The conversations also explore the need ...
Oct 12, 2018•22 min•Season 1Ep. 20
There is widespread support for victims of child sexual abuse, but a comprehensive bill to make it easier to hold offenders accountable in criminal and civil court has failed to become law in New York. Gary Greenberg, a child sex abuse survivor, joined the podcast to talk about his advocacy for the Child Victims Act, which has been stymied by Senate Republicans. He talked about the root of his activism, the failed attempt to reach a compromise, and the importance of civil actions against perpetr...
Sep 28, 2018•24 min•Season 1Ep. 19
